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What Is Family Counseling?

Families are a complex web of interconnected relationships that continually influence each other, and even healthy relationships can sometimes get messy. And it’s also apparent that the past year and a half has been particularly challenging for families coping with unprecedented changes and loss.

Fortunately, family counseling can help.

Family counseling gives you an opportunity to discuss thoughts and feelings about life and family dynamics with a therapist. It can help your family manage stress, learn about conflict management, address mental health concerns, and much more.

This article will discuss what family counseling is, why people seek it, and more about how it can help your family.

What Is Family Counseling?

Family counseling is a type of psychotherapy for families. It can help family members get insight into their emotions, thoughts, and behavior. Family therapists work with individuals, couples, and/or families to address a wide variety of issues that include:

Why Seek Family Counseling?

You may seek family counseling for a variety of reasons, typically stemming from a core desire to improve your family relationships. Specific examples may include:

  • You want to understand your thoughts on a specific situation in order to clear up confusion or misunderstandings.
  • You want assistance with resolving personal problems that may be affecting your relationships with family members.
  • You want help coping with recent losses or changes in your family life, such as the death of a loved one or divorce.
  • You want assistance with parenting strategies.

If you are experiencing painful family dynamics, then a family therapy session may be helpful. A family therapist is a licensed professional who is skilled in working with couples and families.

How Counseling Can Help

Family counseling is an effective way to help families struggling with communication, conflict, or other challenges. The counselor works with the family members to identify and explore the underlying causes of the issues.

Family therapy doesn’t focus on one person’s perspective. Instead, it is a joint exploration of the perceptions of all family members. The counselor guides this exploration and helps each member understand the other’s point of view.

The specific goals of family therapy are unique to each client and their needs. Generally speaking, common goals of family therapy include helping your family:

  • Identify issues
  • Resolve current and past conflicts
  • Develop coping strategies  
  • Learn and practice problem-solving skills
  • Develop practical skills to manage stressors
  • Improve communication between family members
  • Learn healthy boundaries
  • Balance partner and parenting roles
  • Improve overall functioning in the family system

Strengthen Your Family With Counseling at Eunoia

We all bring learned patterns from our family of origin into our adulthoods. These patterns can include positive characteristics that promote healthy family bonds as well as negative traits that hinder them.

But participating in family therapy has the potential to change negative patterns into positive ones and strengthen your family for generations. This legacy happens as each member of your family is equipped with tools for effective communication, self-awareness, and the ability to see another’s perspective.

Eunoia Counseling is here for you and your family. Reach out to us today and start your family on the path to restoration and thriving!