Change is constant in family relationships as members grow up and age. Therefore, at different stages, the emotional and psychological needs of the family change in tandem. These transformations can sometimes become very difficult to navigate. Every family experiences periods of strain that can lead to members of the family unit growing apart. Even those close to each other can struggle to connect if their communication style is explosive and confrontational. Such problems get magnified when a mental illness or substance abuse gets injected into the dynamic.
Families are always changing. As family members grow up and get older, the emotional and psychological needs of the family shift too. These changes can sometimes feel really hard to manage. Every family goes through tough times that can cause people to grow apart. Even close family members can struggle to connect when communication turns explosive or confrontational. And these challenges often get even harder if mental illness or substance use becomes part of the picture.
Family therapy means working with a professional who can help you build healthier boundaries and stronger connections with the people you love.
Change is constant in family relationships as members grow up and age. Therefore, at different stages, the emotional and psychological needs of the family change in tandem. These transformations can sometimes become very difficult to navigate. Every family experiences periods of strain that can lead to members of the family unit growing apart. Even those close to each other can struggle to connect if their communication style is explosive and confrontational. Such problems get magnified when a mental illness or substance abuse gets injected into the dynamic.
New parents, strained from sleeplessness, sometimes need help to adjust to life with a new baby in the house. This is also true when an adoptive child is introduced into the mix. Similarly, time-strapped young couples, balancing their careers with kids, seek family therapy to improve their parenting skills. Anxiety, meltdowns and temper tantrums common in toddlers and school-aged children can inject tension in relationships between couples who are trying their best to keep it together.
All these situations are much easier to manage with a therapist who understands the underlying mechanics of human emotions at different life stages.
Dealing with Teenagers
The teenage years bring specific complexities to inter-generational relationships. During this turbulent stage between childhood and adulthood, a teenager’s physical, hormonal and social growth can leave families exasperated. They are particularly influenced by peer pressure, social media and the desire to fit in. And their undeveloped prefrontal cortex leads them to take risks and sometimes make questionable decisions. Many teens struggle to regulate themselves to cope with anxiety, stress, depression and hopelessness. That is why some teens turn to experimentation with alcohol, tobacco, drugs and unhealthy sexual habits. All of these have the potential to spiral into lifelong problems.
In some families, bickering between parents creates “triangulation” in the family system. Here, a child ends up forming an emotional alliance with one parent. They exhibit their own emotions by acting out to distract the parents from their fighting. This can manifest itself into an eating disorder, for example, to cope with internalized anxiety. In such instances, we would assign one therapist to work with the parents and another to the child for one-on-one help. Both therapists team up to ensure the entire family heals and reaches harmony.
Family Therapy for Adult Relationships
Children are not the only catalyst for family stress. Caring for the elderly can bring bitter dissensions to an otherwise harmonious household. Parents, who have raised and advised you all their lives, may not be ready for role reversals. Family therapy helps you with strategies to communicate respectfully and non-condescendingly with ageing parents.
Caregivers of parents suffering from Dementia and Alzheimer’s carry extremely heavy burdens. Consequently, they require strong support from other family members. Siblings must often come together to share caregiving roles. Yet for many families, differences of opinion and historical rifts make this an extremely difficult exercise. Family therapy can provide timely intervention to allow family members to negotiate and move forward in unison.
Types of Family Therapy
With such a vast array of constellations seeking family therapy, clinicians must first assess each situation before prescribing a therapy plan. System’s Based Family Therapy is a popular form of counselling developed by Murray Bowen in the 1950s. He considered families an entity with many moving parts that contribute to the larger dynamic. Changes in one section affect the overall pattern of communication and behaviour of the unit. For example, a mother and son in therapy for their conflicts will discover that their improved communication shifts the interactive style of the entire family. This results in reduced tensions all around with everyone becoming a little gentler with one another.
Emotion-Focused Family Therapy is another popular approach used by therapists. It focuses on how emotions underscore family connections and makes caregivers “emotion coaches” to their loved ones.
Transformational Systemic Therapy (STST), also known as the Satir method, is designed to improve communication within the family structure by looking at individual behaviour, feelings and perspectives as they relate to that person’s position within the family.
At Beaches Therapy Group, our trained therapists can tap into these and numerous other approaches to help you. We acknowledge and support each family member to heal dysfunctional patterns which undermine the health and happiness of your unit.
Seeking Family Therapy
Nobody likes to publicize deep personal problems, like strife in the family. Facebook and Instagram capture family life at its best. But those happy images can leave you feeling discontented about the state of your own family. The truth is, these are simply snapshots in time. Relationships are neither neat, perfect nor easy all the time. Your family is like millions of others.
Unresolved problems accumulate like layers of silt. Over time, they become deep-rooted with the potential to span generations. Family units become disconnected when individuals do not discuss, understand or deal with their emotions and feelings. When left to escalate, estrangement sets in. This downward spiral is unnecessary and avoidable with professional intervention early in the process.
Contacting us for help is not a sign of weakness; rather, it is the first courageous step in your journey to healing. Beach Therapy Group has helped hundreds of families resolve festering problems. We have healed emotional wounds and prevented needless grief. We are compassionate, qualified and skilled to give your family the personalized attention you need. The first consultation with us is always free and will be scheduled over the phone. It will help us understand your situation and allow us to formulate a customized therapeutic plan for you. Your therapist will explain the process and we encourage you to ask as many questions as possible to alleviate any doubt that we are the right team for you.
