family counseling
Every family has its issues. Whether you have a teenager that demands privacy, all the time, or a small child throwing temper tantrums every chance they get, it can be challenging to get out of the rut that becomes a new normal.
Maybe you’re a mom that gets tired of momming. Or a dad that works too much. Or maybe you’re not parents at all, and you find yourself arguing with your significant other every other day.
Regardless of the issues your family faces, there is a way to find peace and happiness again.
Family counseling is an option available to families just like yours. Let’s take a look at some fundamental reasons why some families engage in this activity.
7 Reasons Family Counseling Is Beneficial for Any Family
Slowly but surely, the stigma of counseling for both individuals and families is fading. This is a result of society’s recognition that everybody needs somebody now and again. Even if that somebody is a neutral third party that provides insight and advice on how to deal with yourself or your family members.
Online counseling is also an option for those that are still a bit fearful of the stigma that does still exists. This can even be a great starting point for individuals within a family to get the ball rolling when issues become apparent.
Click here to learn about ReGain and other online therapy and counseling platforms.
But, what type of issues call for counseling?
The truth is, most anything that causes pain or suffering in some fashion is a good reason for therapy. Here just a few examples.
1. Communication
Unless you’ve taken a college course on communication, and even if you have, communicating with family members can be a tedious adventure from time to time. It’s normal for people to shut down when they’re scared to voice their opinions or concerns due to reasons beyond your control.
For example, your wife may be afraid to tell you that she hates it when you play video games after work because she knows it’s a release for you after a long day. This leads to feelings of resentment and other emotions that could fester as a result.
A family therapist can assist you both with the right words and other modes of communicating these feelings so that nobody feels hurt or ashamed.
2. Conflict
What if your teenager blatantly disrespects you? Or your husband doesn’t reinforce discipline for the behavior?
This inevitably leads to conflict within each relationship. That’s between you and your teenager, your husband and your teenager, and you and your husband.
The best way to resolve this type of issue is to seek counseling for not only how to handle the conflict but how to resolve it, so it doesn’t continue. This is related to communication, so you can see how snowball effects can occur.
3. Roles and Boundaries
If you’ve ever asked yourself, do I need counseling because you have a hard time respecting boundaries, you should seek therapy. Roles and boundaries are one of the essential factors in maintaining healthy relationships. If you’re not adhering to this type of structure, you could be the cause of unresolved conflict in your household.
Take the initiative and ask your family for help in the form of counseling as a group so that you can involve that third party to help all of you find respectful ways of teaching and learning from each other.
4. Sexual Orientation
So, your teenager just came home and told you he’s gay. What do you do? What do you say?
If you don’t have even an idea of how to approach this situation, family counseling is one of the most important things you can do.
Sexual orientation is very personal; however, ‘coming out’ is one of the scariest things an individual faces because of stigma. You must find ways to respect your loved ones, and respecting their choices is the only way to do that.
5. Trauma/Grief
Of course, one of the most obvious reasons to get counseling involves trauma or grief from loss.
For example, you may not have had an excellent relationship with your father before he died, but you will still experience some form of grief. Maybe your wife doesn’t expect to provide support because she thinks that since you weren’t close, you won’t feel pain. This can lead to distance in your relationship, which cannot be solved without communication.
Therapists are trained in situations like this as well as traumatic events such as death or other unexpected events.
6. Blending Families
Another great reason to get involved in family counseling involves blending families.
Just because you and your new husband love each other and get along great, does not mean that your children from past relationships will feel the same. Nor should they, necessarily.
A therapist can help you all learn to live among each other with peace and respect.
7. Divorce
Counseling is imperative for those that have experienced a divorce—especially children. But, even if you don’t have children, a family counselor can help you learn how to navigate the world after everything you’ve known is torn apart by this tragic event.
If you do have children, keep in mind that they may suffer from PTSD after a divorce, even if the separation was amicable. The best thing you can do to help them stay mentally fit and healthy is to speak to a therapist for at least a few months after the dust settles.
What We Have Learned
Reasons to get involved with family counseling are not limited to those families with severe issues like violence or drug abuse. Any family that is struggling with maintaining a healthy dynamic is a good candidate. Not only can it help build a structure within your family unit, but it can also help you become more loving and sympathetic toward each other’s needs.
If you don’t think that face to face therapy is a good fit, counseling online is an excellent way to break the ice and get a third party involved.
Did you find this post helpful? If so, we encourage you to visit our parenting advice column for tips on keeping your family healthy.
It got my attention when you said that each family member could learn to treat each other with respect and peace when they consider a family therapist. My husband and I have noticed that there must be a growing tension among our kids. We want to ensure that their petty arguments won’t escalate, so we will see to it that our family will undergo a counseling service.