Some of the strongest relationships in a person’s life are often from one’s family. However, being close to your family does not necessarily mean that your family is conflict-free. Not all families function perfectly all the time.
In order to strengthen your family unit, you might consider seeking family counseling. But how do you know if family counseling is right for you?
What is Family Counseling?
Family counseling is a form of therapy that tries to lower the level of conflict and stress within the family unit. Unlike therapy focused on a single individual, this type of therapy seeks to identify negative patterns within the whole family. It strengthens communication, teaches coping skills, and stresses interpersonal connections within the family. Family counseling can address many issues. These can range from families with divorces, disabled family members, mental illnesses, substance abuse, communication problems, or even ordinary, day-to-day issues. [1]
Is Family Counseling Right for My Family?
If you are asking yourself that question, odds are family counseling is worth looking into for you. Counseling can be a great tool to strengthen ties and work through a number of issues. Here are some signs to check if you think counseling could help your family. [2][3]
- Excessive emotions…
If you notice that certain members of your family struggle with extremely negative emotions, such as anger, anxiety, or severe depression and sadness, you should consider looking into counseling. Excessive amounts of emotion can be destructive in any situation. Multiple emotional breakdowns can be red flags that alert you to the need of extra help. Working through these situations and displaying a willingness to listen to struggling family members is vital in handling such events. - Withdrawal…
You may notice that some members of your family struggle to connect with each other. Increasing emotional distance between previously close family members can hurt the entire family. Remember that those members may not be comfortable sharing their problems in a normal family setting. By welcoming discussion, family counseling encourages people to open up in a designated, safe environment. - Dysfunction…
Is your family struggling to function as well as it used to previously? Sometimes a pattern of dysfunction surfaces in families. Simple tasks and routines start to seem nearly impossible to complete. Counseling is a great way to strengthen communication skills and work through that dysfunction. - Significant Issues…
This category covers a variety of family events, traumas, and issues and is by no means exhaustive. If your family is being crushed by the weight of any of these or related issues, looking into family counseling sessions could be especially valuable to you.- Death of a loved one
- Recovery from natural disaster
- Major trauma
- Financial hardship
- Mental illnesses
- Eating disorders
- Adjusting to a new family member (foster child, adoption, etc.)
- Substance abuse
- Incarceration of a family member
- Divorce or other parental conflict
- Chronic illness
- Communication issues/conflict
- Behavioral problems in children
Written by Brooke Smoke, blogger at Safe Harbor International Ministries
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