Marjorie Pay Hinckley once stated, “Home is where you are loved the most and act the worst.” Family members catch us at our worst moments: when we’re awkward adolescents, when we’re trying on new identities, when we’re depressed and irritable. But home life can also catch us at our best. So many beautiful moments in a family go unchronicled and unsung, but they exist. Maybe you make your mother laugh hysterically at the kitchen table. Maybe your little brother looks up to you for standing up to a bully. Maybe you love seeing the joy on your father’s face as he contemplates the birds through the window. Family members can notice the good and the bad in each other and the unconditional bonds between them never shift. That being said, harmony and equilibrium can often break down in families. And that’s where family therapy can help.
A licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) at Thriveworks in La Habra, CA can facilitate open conversation between family members about what’s going on, how everyone’s feeling, what everyone’s individual perspectives are. Then the family counselor can help family members look for solutions that everyone can agree on, whether that solution applies to a specific issue or to something more general, like communication. Family counseling can work in tandem with individual therapy (if a family member needs additional support) or on its own. It’s a highly effective way to get problems into the open and figure out how to solve them. But marriage and family therapy isn’t always about conflict. Sometimes it can be about reinforcing what a family is doing right.
What Is the Major Goal of Family Therapy?
Mental health professionals who work with families in a group therapy setting usually have a few general goals in mind, but specific treatment planning depends on client feedback. The counselors at Thriveworks in La Habra, CA are receptive to any goals that family members bring to therapy, including the following:
- To heal or reconcile
- To improve communication
- To reduce conflict and tension
- To handle special family situations
- To forgive, or ask for forgiveness
- To establish healthy boundaries
- To manage anger and other emotions
- To process grief or trauma together
- To build or rebuild trust in each other
- To get support for substance abuse
- To explore the origins of misunderstandings
Who Can Family Therapy Help?
Family therapy at Thriveworks in La Habra, CA can help anyone who is willing to admit that they don’t have all the answers. Sometimes clients come to family therapy or couples therapy for specific problems, such as the following:
- Mood disorders
- Postpartum depression
- Anxiety
- Trauma
- Grief
- Financial stress
- Marital stress
- Rebellion
- Work stress
- Sibling jealousy
- Bullying
- Juvenile delinquency or crime
- Estrangements
- Conflict and tension in family relationships
- Emotional or verbal abuse
- Chronic illness
- Caregiver burnout
- Anorexia or bulimia
- Behavioral problems
- Neurodiverse children issues
- Substance abuse or addiction
- Personality clashes
- Codependency
- Perfectionism
- Unhealthy parenting styles
What Will Happen During Our First Family Therapy Session?
In an initial family therapy session at Thriveworks in La Habra, CA, the counselor will probably try a few icebreaker exercises to ease any awkwardness or tension and ensure that everyone knows they are in a safe space. The counselor might also ask everyone what their goals are for therapy. They will want to make sure that everyone gets a chance to speak and feels heard. Family therapy might include games or therapeutic exercises that will help everyone open up and empathize with other points of view. A family therapist’s job is not to blame, but to facilitate mutual understanding.
How Do We Choose the Best Family Therapist?
When you begin your search for a family therapist, you should ensure that you check a few basic boxes:
- The therapist should be fully licensed. All the mental health providers at Thriveworks in La Habra, CA are fully licensed in California.
- Family therapy should be affordable. Thriveworks providers accept health insurance coverage from most major plans.
- The family therapy sessions should be comfortable and convenient. Thriveworks counseling sessions can take place in-person at the modern office in La Habra, or online through secure, HIPAA compliant video conferencing sessions (aka online counseling).
Enhance Relationships with Family Therapy at Thriveworks in La Habra, CA
When you call the Thriveworks office in La Habra, CA, you can expect to meet with your family therapist quickly. Most providers are available for an initial session within 24-48 hours of a new client’s call. As an additional benefit, Thriveworks clients can reach out to their provider by phone or email between sessions. Thriveworks providers are always fully licensed and recruited from the top 4% of applicants. This ensures that Thriveworks clients can get the best mental health care available in their area.
We look forward to helping you and your family members reinforce your bonds. Call Thriveworks today!
