Being in quarantine in such trying times has undoubtedly affected many people’s mental health, and it is crucial to take care of mental health. Most people live with their families, and it can be stressful in certain situations. This is where family therapy can help.
Family therapy, also known as family counseling, is a session with a professional therapist to address issues a family may be going through.
The psychological health of the members of the family due to some sudden change or maybe other health conditions may be the cause of these issues, and they are discussed in these therapy sessions. The main goal of family therapy is to enable communication amongst the members, resolve the problems, and help them healthily deal with them.
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Reasons for distress in families:
- There could be many reasons why the family members do not get along or why there was a sudden disruption in peace and harmony. Some could be reasons such as monetary trouble, some could be personal reasons, while others could indicate an underlying mental health issue.
- The mental health of every family member could be different. There could be certain members who are going through a rough period and want to seek help.
Who needs therapy?
- There is no specific rule about what kind of family should undergo family therapy because therapy is for everybody. Families that are willing to simply better their quality of life to live with one another in harmony can opt for this therapy.
- Families that have tried every rule in the book to seek help, but have not found any progress, can approach a professional to speak about it. Its effectiveness helps solve family quarrels and other disputes.
- Families with children with behavioral problems or members with problems with addiction can benefit from therapy/counseling.
Benefits of Therapy:
- Many excellent professionals are dedicated to helping families overcome various disorders and enhance their functioning by reducing their distress.
- Issues like sibling rivalries over petty things, or extreme parent-child issuesresulting in friction between the parent and the child, can be tackled in a safe environment in a professional’s presence.
- Major physiological disorders are also tackled with the help of therapy and counseling. These sessions with the entire family’s involvement will help the family understand and educate themselves about the disorder a family member is suffering from. It helps them be more empathetic towards them and can help them in the future.
- Most problems arise due to a lack of communication. Be it between spouse, between a parent and a child, or even amongst siblings. This communication gap needs to get smaller. Therapy certainly helps with this, as the entire concept of a therapy session is to create a safe environment for all the parties involved. They can open up comfortably, without the fear of being judged, as there will be a professional to intervene in case things go out of hand.
- Therapy certainly helps an individual feel at peace and appreciate their purpose in life much better. Because of that, they can understand their family members for who they are. Most times, therapy might not provide an answer to all their problems, but it certainly does give them a sense of direction and self-acceptance; this in itself is the first step to healing.
How to approach therapy with family:
- Approaching the family with the whole concept of therapy can be uncomfortable. There is massive uncertainty about how they will react to the news, let alone getting involved in the session themselves. Sit them down and explain to them why this must take place.
- It is also recommended to consult the family doctor, as the family will better understand and cooperate if the consultation comes directly from a medical professional.
- Ask the family doctor to help out with recommendations for a good therapist, stating the expectations post the session.
- Check the locality and distance of the therapist’s office. The closer it is, the more convenient it is.
- The most important thing to check for is the length of each session. There are chances that the sessions can go on for a very long time, as it could also be multiple sessions in a row, family members could get restless and lose their interest in it, and things could go unresolved in such cases.
- Check as to how the therapist is charging. If it seems reasonable for the quality of service and the number of hours charged, it will undoubtedly be worth it. Always try to read reviews online or on their website to understand their working, charging scheme, etc.