4 Reasons to Do Family Therapy You Haven’t Thought About Before
Think of all the families you know. The happy ones. The perfect ones. The ones you’d love your kids to hang out with. At least 4 of them are in therapy right now.
If your family has been in a trouble spot lately, and you’re thinking about therapy, I want you to give it a shot, even if it’s not with me. You’d be amazed at how simple some problems are to fix, and how much joy family therapy can add back into your home life.
4 Reasons to Come to Family Therapy
There are a gazillion reasons to come to family therapy, but I’m going to list some that I’ve worked with personally that you don’t hear about a lot. If you see your family in one of these scenarios, give me a call. It’s never too late to help your family be happier, healthier, and closer.
- You’ve recently created a blended family.
Blended families, where parents who have kids from previous relationships get together, can be such a blessing to everyone involved. More family = more love. But it can be hard to put all the new pieces together in a way that works for everyone.
If you and your partner have just started a blended family, both you and your kids may need help knowing everyone’s place in the new family structure. Step parents rarely know their roles right off the bat. A new bunch of siblings to have “rivalry” with can derail still-developing emotional resilience in kids.
A family therapist can help everyone express their concerns and desires in a safe, healthy way that leads to progress, not resentment. Your therapist can help you understand the struggles your kids are facing, and help you form as plan as a cohesive parental unit that gives a united front to build your new family around.
- Someone in the family has recently returned from war
I’ve worked extensively with veterans who have returned from military conflicts with PTSD. When I work with PTSD patients, it’s critical that I work with their families, too. It can be difficult to see the person you love return home (and you’re overjoyed!) only to realize that they seem so different. That difference can inject space between you that doesn’t need to exist.
I help PTSD sufferers and their families understand the disorder, what causes it, how to help the family member who is suffering from it, and help the patient work through their traumatic experiences to re-enter civilian life.
- Someone in your family has a chronic illness
When someone you love is diagnosed with a chronic illness, it can seem like the end of the world. Their whole life is about to change. And so is yours.
In family therapy, I help families deal with the emotional shock of one of their own getting the shocking news that they have a chronic illness. I work with a lot of people whose children or partners have been diagnosed with autism, type 1 diabetes or become disabled, but there are a host of other illnesses that can throw a family’s world into a tailspin.
Together, we’ll deal with grieving the things it seems like you’ve lost (lifestyle, future plans, etc.) and focus on processing feelings and looking forward to the good times still ahead … because they’re not over!
- Your family is grieving the loss of a loved one
Death is a part of life. That’s the worn-out saying you’ve heard a thousand times. It’s true, don’t get me wrong, but it doesn’t help you fill that jagged hole in your heart when someone you loves leaves this planet.
It’s not typical for kids to lose people, and other kids (their friends) don’t know how to deal with that. When I do family grief counseling, I offer support to parents and teach them how to talk to their kids about death. I also work with the kids to explore their loss. Kids are so in tune to their parents, especially when they’ve lost one – they don’t want to talk about it because it makes their mom/dad cry. But they NEED to talk about it. That’s where I come in.
Schedule your FREE 45-minute session now!
Let’s chat about your family, what challenges you’re facing, and see if family therapy is right for you. Give me a call today at 706-864-7790 or visit me online at www.IntoTheWoodsTherapies.com.