While individual therapy can be transformational, at times, our struggles with mental health are symptomatic of pathological systems we are part of, most pointedly our families. Where discord, lack of communication, or emotional pressure affect more than one individual, family therapy may prove to be a more healing option than just individual therapy.
At Odyssey Counseling, we recognize that mental health is not isolated. This is why we provide comprehensive, systemic care through family therapy because problems impact not only the individual, but that family unit as well.
What Is Family Therapy?
Family therapy is a type of psychotherapy that gathers a family unit to collaborate with a licensed therapist. Not to assign fault but to work toward better communication, conflict resolution, and relations that are more supportive and stronger.
Therapy sessions can involve the entire family, or subsets of family members (i.e. parent and child, siblings, or a couple). At Odyssey Counseling our therapists are well- trained in the art of relational healing and viewing the family as an interconnected system where the state of one individual affects the condition of another.
When Family Therapy May Be the Better Choice
There’s Ongoing Conflict or Communication Breakdown
When family members are frequently fighting, ducking one another in public, or unable to talk without getting defensive or hostile, therapy can provide an opportunity to safely begin to deal with these problems.
Instead of “taking sides” the therapist is a neutral force who represents each individual’s need to be heard and assists both in understanding the other.
A Family Member’s Struggles Are Impacting Everyone
When a family member is affected by a mental health issue, be it depression, anxiety, substance use, or behavioral problems, it tends to impact the entire family system. Individual therapy can help the individual in distress, while family therapy helps incorporate everyone in a common understanding and response to crisis as a unit.
There Are Major Life Transitions or Stressors
Divorce, remarriage, illness, moving away from home, and death of a loved one are some of the more common stressors that can affect even the healthiest of families. Family therapy can assist everyone in adapting, processing feelings, and discovering new ways to support one another.
Parenting Challenges Are Creating Tension
If parents are fighting about discipline, communication or family values, or if a child or teen is misbehaving in some manner, family therapy can assist in getting the parent back on track with their parenting style while assisting in recoupling parent- child attachment.
Odyssey Counseling also provides parent coaching, DBT-based skills and the Kazdin Method to equip parents with specific tools and skills for reinforcing behaviors and communicating.
You’ve Tried Individual Therapy, But Patterns Persist
Solo work can only take you so far. If you feel you are moving forward personally but remain “stuck” in the same dynamics at home, involving family members into the therapy room can provide further insight and possibilities for meaningful and lasting change.
Benefits of Family Therapy at Odyssey Counseling
- Fosters better communication and understanding within the relationship
- Works to create a sense of shared accountability for change, instead of one individual being the “problem”.
- Allows challenging discussions to take place in a controlled environment with a trained expert
- -Can examine intergenerational patterns and unresolved conflict that might be overlooked in individual therapy
- Fosters resilience among families under chronic stress, suffering from a mental illness or challenging behaviors
When Individual Therapy May Still Be Preferable
The significant benefits of family therapy must be balanced with the consideration that in some situations individual counsel may be the more appropriate form of therapy when:
- Someone requires privacy to deal with trauma or abuse
- A reluctance to engage family in therapy
- Personal problems that are not systems related must first be dealt with
- Both are clinically indicated (Odyssey Counseling often recommends this)
An Integrated Approach to Healing
Here at Odyssey Counseling, we understand that treatment may require addressing layers of care. Various forms of individual and family therapy are available to most clients, stages in treatment permitting.
We have the flexibility to move between formats with ease, adjusting your care as you adjust your own goals.
If you are struggling with a family member’s communication patterns, emotional reactivity, or parental stress, family therapy can help help awareness and connection in the areas where it is most needed.
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