What is family therapy?
Family therapy helps families resolve conflicts and strengthen their relationships. It is led by qualified mental health professionals like psychologists, licensed professional counselors (LPCs), and licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) who have extensive training in family dynamics and group communication.
How does family therapy work?
Thriveworks family therapists in San Jose, CA usually begin by asking what everyone’s goals are for family counseling. Family members may need help with very specific issues or with general relationship functioning. But there are three main purposes in family counseling: to educate, to counsel, and to strengthen. Thriveworks also offers online family therapy and in-person services, so you may all meet in an office together or join a video call from your home depending on everyone’s location and availability.
What is the most effective family therapy?
The most effective form of Family therapy will often depend on the family itself, as there are many types of family therapy for therapists to use as they see fit in order to best meet the needs of their clients. However, one of the most commonly used types of family therapy is structural family therapy (SFT). SFT focuses specifically on family dynamics and interactions, looking at how they shape the relationships and structure present in the family. It can be effectively used to treat a variety of concerns.
How do I know if my family needs therapy?
This answer often looks different to each family that starts family therapy. However, some signs that your family might need to consider family counseling include frequent fights or misunderstandings, constant tension, experiencing loss, behavioral issues, marital issues, divorce, and blended family issues, among others.
What is included in family therapy?
In family therapy, therapists will often start by asking questions and assessing individual and family dynamics. From there, they may employ therapeutic techniques such as structured family therapy, CBT, strategic family therapy, and more depending on the present concerns and conflicts. From there, a therapist will work to open lines of communication between family members and facilitate emotional healing and growth.
What is the success rate of family therapy?
Family therapy can be incredibly successful, with some studies reporting a success rate of almost 90% for improving participants’ emotional and mental health, and around 66% for improving their physical health.
Is family therapy conducted in person or online?
Thriveworks therapists in San Jose, CA offer both online family therapy and in-person family therapy. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you.
How long does family therapy last?
Family therapy is usually short term and solution-focused, with most families accomplishing their goals in 12 sessions or fewer. However, it can also last for longer if the probles at hand are more complex — and that’s okay, too.
Need more help deciding?
A trained therapist or counselor at Thriveworks Counseling can help your family work through a wide variety of distressing situations. Call or contact us online to set up an appointment with a licensed mental health professional in San Jose, CA.
Why Do Families Consider Attending Therapy?
Families attend therapy or counseling for reasons such as:
- Poor communication
- Sibling rivalry
- Behavioral problems
- Differing parenting styles
- Major transitions
- Trouble establishing boundaries
- Financial strain
- Coping with shared loss
- Mental health concerns
- Substance abuse
- Divorce or separation
- Struggling to blend families
Your family’s concerns may not fit snugly into these categories, and that’s okay. No two families operate the same way or experience identical setbacks. Therapists are well-equipped to assist their patients as they tackle specific issues.
How Can Counseling Benefit My Family?
Although family therapy or counseling sessions are different for every family, there are some common traits and takeaways. A provider typically uses joint sessions to observe family relationships, listen to every person’s needs and goals, and suggest helpful strategies for future issues.
Therapy or counseling sessions may involve:
- Transgenerational therapy: If you live with your grandparents or are close to your extended family, you may occasionally disagree on who gets to shower first in the morning or which family values to pass down to your children. Transgenerational therapy aims to address the dynamics between family members of different ages and guide healthy conversations about shared culture and traditions.
- Structural therapy: This method prioritizes interactions between family members. Structural therapy can help a family unlearn negative communication habits and lead to a more cohesive family unit.
- Milan Therapy: In this form of therapy, a counselor will act as a neutral third party, making space for family members to share their perspectives and reflect on past issues in a judgment-free zone.
- Psychoeducation: Psychoeducation focuses on helping a family best support its members who live with mental illness. It focuses on breaking the stigma surrounding mental health issues and allowing families to better handle daily concerns with their loved ones.
If you’re considering therapy, reach out to Thriveworks in San Jose, CA today using your cell or our online booking tool.
Schedule Family Therapy Appointments in San Jose, CA
Our virtual therapy options and acceptance of many different forms of health insurance make it easy for families to get the help they need. When you’re ready to get started, consider reaching out to Thriveworks Counseling in San Jose, CA.
