Your family is the most important thing to you.
If you discover an issue negatively impacting you, your children, or your family as a whole, it's time to seek the help of a professional.
According to the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, 93% of people were satisfied with their family counseling experience.
Today, we are taking a closer look at how children and family counseling benefits the whole family.
Children and Family Counseling Benefits
When they have a physical ailment or injury, you take them to a physician for healing. When they have academic problems, you meet with their teachers and guidance counselors seeking resolution. When they have trouble at home, you all work together to change.
Some issues are handled easily, just by communicating with each other. Other issues, however, may need the assistance of a professional to help your family find a solution to your problems.
Many families seek help through children and family counseling.
This type of counseling is a form of psychotherapy. Here, therapists assist close family members of all ages, make positive changes in their relationships so they can function better as a whole.
Teach Families How to Communicate
Children and family therapists are equipped with many tools to help your family. One major area of focus will be how you communicate with one another. Many times, problems can be avoided just by communicating effectively.
Issues that can lead to communication problems include stress, poor listening skills, misinterpretations, language barriers, and deception. These issues can be dealt with the help of a family therapist. He or she can help you identify reasons for communication issues.
For children, this may mean problems at school or with peers. For adults, it could mean trouble at work. Whatever the reason, your therapist will teach you communication styles which include verbal, nonverbal and nonviolent approaches. They will also teach you specific strategies to help each of you become better listeners and better at expressing yourselves properly.
Set Appropriate Boundaries
When you love someone, it can be easy to want to help them be successful in everything they do. It is easy to want to do things for them, so they can avoid failure. Parents want their children to feel the least amount of pain as possible, as well as children, desire pleasing their parents.
There are times, however, when our love for one another can be more harmful than helpful. We may unknowingly enable injurious behavior such as co-dependency being present in relationships. These lead to family members feeling used or taken advantage of, leading to fights and distrust.
Establishing boundaries is easier to do with the help of a family therapist. You will be able to learn how to set limits and stick with them. You will each learn how to take your own needs into account and make healthy decisions regarding helping one another. Teaching you all to focus on self-care will prevent greater familial problems in the long run.
Identify Negative Behaviors
Life can be hectic and because we are so busy, it may be hard to recognize when behaviors of some family members have become more harmful than helpful. This is because behaviors do not usually change overnight.
Changes take place over weeks, even months. Children and family counseling can help you identify negative behaviors to watch out for and how to cope with them if they become a problem.
Negative behaviors in children can include becoming isolated or withdrawn, self-harm, being bullied or bullying, and peer pressure. Children also may struggle with self-image and identity. Parents who recognize these struggles and are proactive have a higher chance of helping their children succeed despite these issues.
Negative behaviors in adult family members can range from time management to parenting to blending families without taking sides or showing favoritism.
Addiction within families is, unfortunately, becoming more prevalent. Addictions can destroy families who are not prepared for it. Learning how to cope and overcome addictive behaviors early is key.
Prevention skills can be valuable tools you learn through counseling.
Encourage Team Work
Whether your family is a newly blended one, or have always been together, working as a team will make your relationships stronger.
It is important that you and all your family members, no matter how young or old, bond and feel a sense of connection to thrive. A family therapist can utilize many activities and techniques that build trust and help you grow closer.
As a team, your family can set goals and reach them together. This allows your family to feel success and rewards together instead of separating during challenging times, you stick together to overcome obstacles.
Each member of your family can offer skills and positive attributes that can strengthen your team. Family therapy can help you identify the strengths of each member and set a plan of how to best use those strengths in making decisions as a family.
Many Techniques Available
Children and family therapists have multiple strategies and techniques to help you and your family. They recognize each family member learns and heals in a unique way and they can adapt tools depending on the family members’ needs.
For children, play therapy and using arts and games may be more beneficial. On the other hand, adults may benefit more from cognitive behavioral therapy. Support groups may be recommended, as well as family systems therapy.
Children and family therapists can implement role-playing, journaling, and many other useful activities to help your family.
Family Can Have Different Meanings
Children and family counselors recognize the definition of family can have different meanings for all individuals. A family does not always mean immediate blood relatives. Friends, partners, extended family, foster and adoptive families can benefit from children and family counseling.
For so many years, a family was considered to include parents and children who live in the same household. Today, the definition of family has evolved to reflect a more accurate description. You no longer must be a direct ancestor of someone to consider them family.
This means many more groups of a family can access children and family counseling. Meaning, anyone with intimate relationships, who have an impact on the lives of one another can benefit from children and family counseling.