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.
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.
Jackie has always felt close to her mother, Heather, who has been ever-present and supportive as far back as Jackie can remember. They’ve gotten in arguments and bickered before, but Jackie has usually felt obligated to hold back any of her own hurtful words; Heather hasn’t always done the same. It’s taken a long time to forget many of the remarks that her mother has said to her over the years, but Jackie is afraid that sharing her feelings might harm their relationship somehow.
After Jackie recently moved to a new state, Heather has been feeling anxious about the distance between them; and instead of talking about what was bothering her, she spoke harshly to her daughter on a video chat the other evening. Now, Jackie is refusing to respond to her, and it seems that their relationship has reached an impasse. Though both of them care about each other, it doesn’t feel like either of them can see the situation objectively because of their shared bond.
If Jackie and Heather’s situation sounds like something that you’ve experienced before in your family, then it’s possible that it’s still occurring. Dealing with uncomfortable or tense family relationships can be hard, especially when relatives are living together. Sharing a living space requires a balance and communication between everyone there. Even family connections that are separated by distance need healthy boundaries to function properly.
At Thriveworks in Noblesville, IN, our family therapists can provide families like yours the relief they need when you partner with them. By working with a mental health professional to highlight the areas of your connections that need improvement, you and your family can start building better lives together.
Who Can Benefit from Family Therapy?
For some families, they can be divided over the idea of reaching out to a mental health professional for assistance with their problems. After all, family life is private and happens with the people we’re closest to. But family therapists aren’t strangers looking to judge you and your relatives. They’re also not interested in picking sides or laying blame; their job is to listen and to use their listening skills to improve yours.
Family therapists can be beneficial for relatives who are experiencing the following:
- Child or teen behavioral issues with unknown origins: kids may act out at school or at home to express anger or fear in different ways
- Tension during extended periods of time spent together such as holidays or vacations
- Ongoing frustration or resentment towards each other
- Tense, explosive arguments about finances or future planning
- Differing viewpoints or unreconciled events
Each family has unique dynamics, so don’t be too concerned if you’re not seeing a problem that you’re faced with listed above. It’s better to be honest about the difficulties that you’re experiencing so that you and your family can find enough common ground to agree on the next step.
How Does Family Therapy Work?
Family therapists use sessions as a way to connect with each family member and understand their perspective. They will also help to facilitate constructive conversations between relatives who are at odds with each other. A family therapist may also highlight areas where positive growth is occurring—and they can help you maintain your family’s progress through identifying boundaries and empathy techniques.
If you or a family member is dealing with…
- Deaths within the family that have occurred without time to process the event
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Undiagnosed behavioral issues
- Residual anger or resentment between relatives over perceived wrongs or shortcomings
- Communication skills that aren’t fully developed, resulting in constant arguments and bickering
- Addiction to drugs or alcohol in response to stress
- Untreated or potentially undiagnosed mental illness or disorders that family members are suffering from, like ADHD or depression
- Stress from caring for a disabled or elderly member
…then seeking a family therapist at Thriveworks in Noblesville could help your situation. Dealing with the distance between your loved ones is difficult, but getting mental health services shouldn’t be.
Connect with a Family Therapist at Thriveworks in Noblesville, IN
When you and your family decide to schedule a family therapy session with us, you’re not just prioritizing your mental health. You’re also getting access to great client benefits that aren’t often matched by other providers, like:
- Q/a chat line with our life coaches
- Access to our ebook, “Leaving Depression Behind” and other valuable electronic resources
- Weekend and evening availability usually not offered by other providers
- Ability to email your counselor in-between appointments as needed
- No waitlist
We’ve done our very best to provide our clients across the U.S. with the best in mental health care. If you’re interested in discovering the difference that family therapy at Thriveworks in Noblesville can offer, then call us today to get started. You and your loved ones don’t have to navigate the challenges you’re faced with by yourselves.
