Family Therapy
Not on an Island alone;
We are all a product of the environment – the one we grew up in, and the one we live in now. We impact and have been impacted by the people around us: parents, children, siblings, extended family, friends, work associates, neighbors, the list goes on and on. We call each of these systems. Each of these systems has structure and patterns.
What does it all mean?
In the family system, it means that the structure and pattern of communication are influenced by parenting style, personalities of the individuals, as well as other influences.
Family then plays a role in our emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual development. Changes that occur with one of the members of the system impacts all the members. For example, mom’s illness or dad’s losing his job have widespread effects throughout the family. If mom and dad argue more, a child’s academic or behavioral struggle in school may be affected profoundly.
Interactions within the immediate family system are connected to all the other systems that each family member is connected to (remember the butterfly effect).
Why choose family therapy?
There are many ways family therapy can address issues your family may be having. It may be as simple as understanding how the family functions. Identifying strengths and weaknesses within your family may be eye-opening in and of itself. We can say unanimously that families need to improve their communication – which results in a deepening strength within the family.
Benefits to be gained are many. A specific issue may be resolved – it may be parent/child conflict or sibling relationship issues. There may be a transition coming which the family could benefit by addressing up front: divorce, remarriage, illness, integration of blended family.
And even more serious, studies suggest that family therapy is important in the treatment of adults and adolescents who struggle with substance abuse, eating disorders, as well as emotional and behavioral issues.
Reach out to us to help your family address concerns, big or small.