Everything You Need to Know About Family Therapy: What It Is, How It Works, and What It Could Help With

Mariella Arceo

Aug 13, 2022

Family therapy is a form of counseling that helps families work through issues together. This type of therapy can be beneficial for a variety of reasons, such as improving communication within the family, resolving conflicts, and dealing with mental health issues. In this blog post, we will discuss what family therapy is, how it works, and some of the benefits that it can provide.

What is family therapy?
Therapy is an opportunity for the entire family.
Family therapy is a type of psychological counseling that deals with solving family problems, family functioning, family structure, family patterns, and family dynamics. It also helps families improve communication and be a healthy, functional family with better family relationships.

Family therapy is provided by mental health professionals such as family therapists and marriage and family therapists that specialize in dealing with familial and marital problems.

Family therapy may involve all family members or just one family member. It is usually short term and depends on the situation of the family. Even after you've finished therapy sessions, family therapy sessions can help you learn how to strengthen relationships and get through difficult times.

Why is family therapy done?
Family therapy offers the entire family the opportunity to resolve conflicts, set healthy boundaries, and a chance for a better functioning home environment. Family therapy offers families an environment to address specific issues as well, such as a child's behavior, substance abuse, and the family's mental health.

If a member of the family is struggling with mental health problems, family therapy can help the family cope while the affected family member is focused on their mental health treatment.

The effectiveness of family therapy depends on the intensity and duration of the conflict. It may assist you, as well as your family members, in better understanding one another and learning coping methods to bind you closer together.

How does family therapy work?

As mentioned previously, family therapy may involve the whole family, but may also only involve just several family members and even only one individual. A typical therapy session may last 50 minutes to an hour. It is also usually short term but will depend on the family's goals and progress.
During this time, family members are invited to open up about their troubles. Family therapy is a safe, judgement-free and problem solving environment where members of the family can open up without worry of consequences.

During family therapy, the family solves problems, expresses thoughts and concerns, explores family roles and identifies issues and strengths. 
This is an opportunity for the family to strengthen their relationships and eliminate family issues.

Does going to family therapy mean that our family is dysfunctional?
Part of the misconceptions of therapy sessions is that families who seek help from mental health professionals are "crazy" or "dysfunctional" when in fact, it is nothing like that at all!

Family therapy exists to help families become a stronger, functional family system with healthier family functions. It becomes whatever the family needs it to be, not what other people deem it to be as. 

Family therapy may be a good opportunity to bring your family closer together and stronger than ever. If you or anyone you know is looking to start family therapy, do not hesitate to get connected at mosaicmindscounseling.com

Mosaic Minds Counseling cares and is here for you and your family.Â