When we think of therapy, what so often comes to mind is an individual and a counselor sitting in a room together. Our imaginations may even stretch to allow for a glimpse of couple’s therapy. However, an often-overlooked form of therapeutic engagement involves the whole family.
Family therapy can provide a variety of benefits to parents, children, siblings, and close members of any type of family unit.
Wondering if family therapy is right for you and your loved ones? Consider what family therapy is and how it can help your family resolve issues and form deeper, more meaningful relationships.
Family therapy can involve any of the important people in your life. The main goal within sessions is to repair those important relationships, resolve conflicts, or improve communication between members.
Typically, these sessions are guided by a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has specialized knowledge about family dynamics. This form of counseling may be short-term depending on the needs of the group and usually last ninety minutes per meeting to allow everyone the chance to speak and connect.
It’s important to set proper expectations when entering into family therapy.
Family therapy is not:
You may be wondering who family therapy is for.
While there is no set rule about who can attend, family therapy has been found to help those who:
That said, family therapy works well for anyone who wants to improve the undercurrents of their family circle, and it has been shown to help improve a number of areas.