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 St Charles, MO 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 St Charles, MO 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?
Ignoring issues can build resentment and allow a problem to grow. Thankfully, there’s an option for families who want to solve a problem in their lives — family therapy or counseling.
If you’re ready to take the next step, call our office at Thriveworks Counseling in St. Charles, MO, today at (314) 370-1811.
Would Therapy or Counseling Be Right For My Family?
Many families can benefit from attending therapy. A few common reasons for seeing a mental health provider include:
- Poor communication
- Increased or frequent arguments
- Confused roles or boundaries
- Household tension
- Infidelity
- Difficulty resolving conflict
- Ignored issues
- Children’s behavioral problems
- Separation or divorce
- Changing family dynamics (such as new stepfamily members)
- Loss of a loved one
- Supporting a family member through addiction or mental illness
Family therapy is a form of treatment that helps families deal with their issues and create stronger relationships. During each therapy or counseling session, your provider will explore your family’s roles, rules, and patterns of behavior to help you find healthier and more productive ways of interacting with each other.
What Happens During Family Therapy Sessions?
Mental health professionals can help your family manage a wide variety of situations. Your family therapist or counselor may use one or more therapeutic techniques depending on your family’s specific issues.
Family therapy and counseling typically focus on teaching things like:
- Active listening
- Conflict resolution
- Empathy
- Communication skills
- Anger management skills
- Boundary setting and respecting
One common type of therapy is called family systems therapy. This type of therapy focuses on the idea that every family is a unique system with its own structure. Family systems therapy focuses on teaching communication and conflict resolution approaches and aims to change the unspoken rules and roles within a family.
Your provider might also approach the problem using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which aims to reframe dysfunctional patterns of thought and behavior. Supportive family therapy is another approach that emphasizes creating an open and supportive environment for everyone to share their emotions.
The type of therapy you receive and the length of time you spend in family therapy largely depend on your issues and goals. Every family is unique, and your family’s treatment plan will be individualized to you.
Meet With a Family Therapist at Thriveworks in St. Charles, MO
Working with a provider from Thriveworks Counseling in St. Charles, MO, can help your family grow closer together. If you want to start family therapy or counseling today, call our office at Thriveworks Counseling in St. Charles, MO at (314) 370-1811.
