Family counseling is a type of therapy designed to help not just one person, but an entire group of people who may be affected by one or more issues. The presupposition is that the family dynamic can be sustained in a harmonious manner, but there simply are times when its functioning and subsequently, its health are impacted by changes in one or more members, and a period of difficulty emerges.
Family problems that require the intervention of family counseling are often associated with major transitions or the emergence of a variety of problems within the family.
These problems may or may not have been influenced by psychological and/or behavior issues. Family counseling is a psychological intervention meant to work through the multifaceted nature of families in an effort to find a common ground for communication and subsequent resolution of the actual issues causing the dysfunctional nature of the group.
The cornerstone of family counseling is open communication and a broad understanding of what is occurring with each member of the family, and how all of these contribute to the entire dynamic.
Families have different ways of operating, and these individual factors contribute to the problems that are affecting the group as a whole. Members of the family are either enabled or discouraged by family members, but more often than not, the enabling of negative behavior by one or more members of the family can already cause a ripple effect on the entire group.
Family counseling isn’t just talking to members of the family; it’s actually a space where different techniques and strategies can be employed and taught to the group as a whole to help solve the problems.
There will be group therapy sessions and individual therapy sessions depending on the needs of the affected family. Specific problems demand specific solutions, and we are interested in employing only the best interventions from sterling, evidence-based practices in clinical psychology.
Can family counseling help children, too? Absolutely. Children often suffer from behavioral issues and emotional troubles, and we are well aware that a significant percentage of all visits to the family counselor is due to children misbehaving or exhibiting signs of emotional problems.
Such problems can make children suffer and can cause widespread disruption in the family dynamic. The goal is to always address the root cause of the disruptive behavior so that recovery becomes possible.
Problems in all children, regardless of their age, almost always have a social component, in addition to additional factors that may have contributed to the trouble in the first place. Family counseling endeavors to discover these contributing factors to ensure that the intervention and subsequent therapy will contribute to the betterment of the child in question.
You may seek the help of a family counselor any time you feel that something is standing in the way of having a harmonious, productive, and happy family life. Additionally, you may seek help from us in the following situations:
We have a strong professional network that is available to participate in the coordination of your care; from medication therapy to parenting classes, anger management, family conflicts, romantic relationship stress, and transitional coaching.
