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.
Family therapists at Thriveworks in Tallahassee, FL can help families that are facing obstacles, whether they be life transitions, behavioral problems, grief, stress, addiction, or something else. Our licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs) offer clients a safe space where they can openly express their thoughts and feelings.
What Is Family Therapy? What Does It Consist Of?
Family therapy is group therapy for relatives. It’s a way of facilitating thoughtful discussion about an infinite number of subjects that arise between family members. Marital and family therapy at Thriveworks in Tallahassee, FL can take a deep look at interpersonal dynamics like the following:
- Roles that each individual plays within the household
- Implicit strengths and weaknesses of the family
- Unspoken rules and codes of behavior
- Communication patterns
- Individual personalities and points of view
- Lifestyle differences
- Emotional triggers
- Historical context
These are all elements that might arise during therapy sessions, but a mental health professional will usually begin by asking each family member what their goals are. These goals can span a wide range of subjects, some easy to tackle and some fraught with difficulty. For example, family members may express their wish to do the following:
- To heal or reconcile after conflict or estrangement
- To improve overall rapport
- To reduce tension in the household
- To forgive, or ask someone for forgiveness
- To establish healthy boundaries
- To get through a life transition
- To process a death or sickness in the family
- To talk through one family member’s eating disorder or mental health condition
- To manage anger
- To build mutual trust
- To explore misunderstandings in a secure environment
- To learn how to prevent future conflict
It may seem like a lot of ground to cover, but skilled mental health providers with training in family therapy can adeptly lead family members toward specific issues while maintaining everyone’s comfort levels.
How to Address a Wide Range of Issues in Family Therapy?
Couples and family therapists like social workers and licensed professional counselors (LPCs) can facilitate meaningful conversations with family members by introducing sensitive topics through games, exercises, and icebreaker activities. No subject is off-limits in therapy sessions, though a counselor is trained to rein in unproductive conversations and turn family members back toward problem-solving and solutions.
People come to family treatment for a wide range of issues and problems, including the following:
- Anxiety
- Bereavement
- Financial stress
- Marital conflict
- Behavioral problems
- Neurodiverse children issues
- Substance abuse
- Juvenile delinquency or crime
- Estrangements
- Conflicts and tension
- Bullying
- Emotional or verbal abuse
- Caregiver burnout
- Codependency
- Perfectionism
- Unhealthy parenting styles
Is Family Counseling Worth It?
The vast majority of families who see a specialized counselor are satisfied with the results of their sessions. This is because the therapy is usually brief, goal-oriented, and focused on solutions, not assigning blame. The family therapists at Thriveworks in Tallahassee, FL are trained to see problems from each person’s perspective, and to help family members in that same pursuit. This process can foster empathy and compassion, which can lead to healing and renewed connection.
Reinforce Your Bonds with Family Therapy at Thriveworks in Tallahassee, FL
The family therapists at Thriveworks in Tallahassee, FL are fully licensed and recruited from the top 4% of area applicants. They also accept most major forms of health insurance coverage. This means that Thriveworks clients can get access to the best mental health care at affordable rates.
They can also choose to see their exceptional provider via an online counseling session or in person at the modern office. Therapists can meet with new clients quickly at Thriveworks, usually within 7 days of their initial booking by phone or online.
Put your family on the path to healing with licensed therapy at Thriveworks. We look forward to helping.
