What is family therapy?
Family therapy helps families resolve conflicts and strengthen their relationships. It is led by qualified mental health professionals like psychologists, licensed professional counselors (LPCs), and licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) who have extensive training in family dynamics and group communication.
How does family therapy work?
Thriveworks family therapists in Columbia, MD usually begin by asking what everyone’s goals are for family counseling. Family members may need help with very specific issues or with general relationship functioning. But there are three main purposes in family counseling: to educate, to counsel, and to strengthen. Thriveworks also offers online family therapy and in-person services, so you may all meet in an office together or join a video call from your home depending on everyone’s location and availability.
What is the most effective family therapy?
The most effective form of Family therapy will often depend on the family itself, as there are many types of family therapy for therapists to use as they see fit in order to best meet the needs of their clients. However, one of the most commonly used types of family therapy is structural family therapy (SFT). SFT focuses specifically on family dynamics and interactions, looking at how they shape the relationships and structure present in the family. It can be effectively used to treat a variety of concerns.
How do I know if my family needs therapy?
This answer often looks different to each family that starts family therapy. However, some signs that your family might need to consider family counseling include frequent fights or misunderstandings, constant tension, experiencing loss, behavioral issues, marital issues, divorce, and blended family issues, among others.
What is included in family therapy?
In family therapy, therapists will often start by asking questions and assessing individual and family dynamics. From there, they may employ therapeutic techniques such as structured family therapy, CBT, strategic family therapy, and more depending on the present concerns and conflicts. From there, a therapist will work to open lines of communication between family members and facilitate emotional healing and growth.
What is the success rate of family therapy?
Family therapy can be incredibly successful, with some studies reporting a success rate of almost 90% for improving participants’ emotional and mental health, and around 66% for improving their physical health.
Is family therapy conducted in person or online?
Thriveworks therapists in Columbia, MD offer both online family therapy and in-person family therapy. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you.
How long does family therapy last?
Family therapy is usually short term and solution-focused, with most families accomplishing their goals in 12 sessions or fewer. However, it can also last for longer if the probles at hand are more complex — and that’s okay, too.
Need more help deciding?
Work, household chores, taking the kids to soccer practice or dance class. Life tends to be pretty busy these days with all of the different activities your family can choose to be a part of. However, sometimes life gets too busy and things start to spiral out of control. Your kids are acting out, your relationship with your significant other is a little rocky, things just keep building up and you do not know where to turn to get help. At Thriveworks Columbia, we believe family therapy could be the solution you have been looking for.
The best way to describe family therapy is as a kind of psychological counseling (psychotherapy). It is something that can help family members improve communication and resolve conflicts within the home. So many things in today’s society are technologically based and sometimes this is the root of some family issues. With the growing presence of technology, communication within your family can be lacking. It can be hard to find time to sit and talk about the issues in your home. Not all families need a trained family counselor, of course, but there is a growing number of families who do. Life never used to be as fast-paced or as complicated as it is today. The modern lifestyle has certainly contributed toward a lot of disharmony in today’s homes.
Family members can be in a constant slanging match with each other, so much so that they have forgotten how to behave in any other way. When kids run riot, parents let off steam by joining in with the chaos. Then, before you know it, there’s World War III in the home. The saddest thing of all is that no one enjoys living like this, yet no one seems able to stop it. Family therapy gives your family the platform to sit down and learn how to talk out the issues you are facing.
How Does Family Counseling Work?
Family counseling works by including all family members in the discussions whenever possible. The actual treatment is usually a specific plan that’s unique to you and the needs of your family. This is why an assessment period is so important. The family therapist will want to identify any physical, emotional or psychological issues in any of the family members. Some of these may include:
- Addictions (alcohol or drugs)
- Behavioral disorders like ADHD
- Anxiety / Depression
- Adolescent behaviors
- Divorce or legal separation that might be affecting home life
- Eating disorders
There may be others too, which is why an assessment can be so important. If the family and therapist already know the root cause(s) of the problems, then the counselor can put together a plan of action sooner. The role of a qualified family therapist is straightforward in theory. They have to:
- Facilitate the flow of communication by asking questions
- Empower the family to work toward shared goals and aspirations
- Form a trusting partnership with the family to help resolve delicate issues
As straightforward as this seems, we assure our patients that we specialize each plan of action to every family we assist. Our goal is to bring your family together and open the communication lines to assist you in creating a happier home.
Schedule a Session at Thriveworks Columbia Today
If you feel like your family could benefit from a specialized plan by one of our family therapists or counselors, schedule an appointment at Thriveworks Columbia today. Family therapy could be the help your family needs to take a step back and face your problems head on. We want to help your family thrive and live a happy life together.
At Thriveworks Columbia we strive to create a personalized treatment plan for every family. In this manner, we try to ensure that our clients’ individual needs are met in the best way possible. At Thriveworks we accept many different insurance plans as well as offer flexible hours with weekend and evening availability. Thriveworks has a “no waiting list” policy. We want your family to get the help you need as soon as possible, and new clients can have an appointment set up within 24 hours.
For more information on how we may be able to help you and your family, call Thriveworks Columbia today to make an appointment. (410) 910-2708.
