Thinking about family therapy?
Out of everyone in our lives, we spend the most time and energy with our families – not just spouses, but children, parents, and siblings. We are all different people with different personalities, priorities, and needs, but in a family dynamic, we must all get along and work together, every single day. This isn’t always easy, and sometimes leads to conflicts and other negative behaviours. That’s why many are seeking family therapy in Calgary.
When we are very close with someone, it can be difficult to step back and objectively analyze the situation – especially regarding our own roles and interactions within it. Emotion-focused family therapy has activities that can assist in this process, leading to a more harmonious and peaceful home life with ripple effects that can spread far and wide throughout everyone involved.
Family therapy facts
you don’t get to choose your family, but you can choose to get along with them.
Family therapy is an essential tool for improving the dynamics within a family unit. While you can’t choose your family members, you can work on cultivating better relationships with them. The importance of harmonious family connections cannot be overstated, as they are fundamental for emotional well-being and personal growth.
In the realm of family therapy, there is a diverse range of approaches, each tailored to address specific issues. Individual sessions may be beneficial when one family member requires specialized support, while group sessions encourage open communication among all family members, fostering empathy and understanding.
Selecting the right therapeutic approach is a vital step. Different modalities, such as structural, strategic, or systemic therapy, exist to address communication breakdowns, conflict resolution, and family crises. By choosing an approach that aligns with your family’s unique needs, you move closer to resolving conflicts and building healthier relationships.
why get family therapy?
Family therapy is a dynamic and versatile approach to addressing a wide range of challenges and issues that families may encounter. While there’s no one-size-fits-all reason to seek therapy, here are some of the most common factors that cause families to consider it:
- Challenges such as mental or physical illness: Families must come together to face the profound impact of mental or physical health challenges within their ranks. Whether it’s a family member coping with depression, anxiety, or a developing chronic disease, these challenges often have a ripple effect on the entire family. So, family therapy provides an essential support system, offering strategies to help families navigate these difficulties together. Through therapy, they can understand, cope with, and stand by their loved ones in times of need, creating a stronger and more resilient family unit.
- A divorce, separation, or other traumatic shift: Life is full of unexpected and sometimes traumatic changes, such as divorce or separation. These significant life events can profoundly affect all family members, causing emotional distress, confusion, and uncertainty. Family therapy offers a safe space for individuals to express their feelings and concerns as they adjust to new circumstances. Therapists can help family members cope with the emotional challenges that often accompany such changes and provide guidance on how to build a healthy post-divorce or post-separation family dynamic.
- Overcoming conflict and communication issues: Conflict is a natural part of family life, but when it becomes pervasive or destructive, it can strain relationships and create long-lasting emotional wounds. Ineffective communication is often at the root of these conflicts. Family therapy excels at addressing these issues, offering a structured and supportive environment to explore and improve communication patterns. Therapists help family members express their thoughts and feelings constructively, teaching them to listen, empathize, and find healthier ways to resolve conflicts. The ultimate goal is to foster healthier relationships among family members, leading to a more aligned and fulfilling family life.
- Dealing with addictions, eating disorders, or negative behaviours: Families facing these issues often find themselves in a state of distress and confusion as the devastating effects take their toll on individuals and their loved ones. Family therapy provides an environment for recovery and healing, involving everyone in the process along the way. It helps family members grasp the underlying causes of these conditions, and equip them with healthy strategies and tools to support recovery.
Forms of family therapy
Recognizing that every family is unique, the approach to treatment should be as well. We offer both individual and group therapy sessions to make sure we can provide what you need.
- Individual family therapy
- Group family therapy
Individual Family Therapy
This involves one-on-one sessions with different family members. This form of therapy allows for:
-
- Privacy and personalization: Individual therapy sessions offer a private and confidential environment without fear of judgment. This can be better for exploring deeply personal issues.
- Tailored solutions: Individual sessions allow the therapist to focus on the specific challenges or issues faced by a single person while still considering their role within the family unit.
- More trust: By engaging in individual sessions, family members may develop a stronger sense of trust and rapport with their therapist. This trust can be instrumental in addressing difficult issues and working towards personal growth and change.
Group family Therapy
This involves sessions where all family members participate together to focus on common goals and shared solutions. It allows for:
-
- Communication and collaboration: Group therapy provides a platform for discussing shared concerns, challenges, and goals in a supportive, defined environment.
- Shared responsibility: Group sessions encourage family members to take collective responsibility for addressing issues.
- Observing interactions: In a group setting, family members can observe each other’s interactions, behaviors, and communication patterns, leading to better insights.
- Conflict resolution: Group therapy provides a controlled space to address conflicts and work towards resolution, under the guidance of a trained therapist to manage disagreements.
Family therapy and marriage counselling
Though we cannot choose our biological family, we do choose our spouse – and learning to live with and respect our mate is a tricky skill to master. As a result, marriages often experience difficulty in some form or another, from a lack of communication or physical intimacy to more serious obstacles like emotional neglect, invalidation, or domineering behaviour. If habits like these are left unchecked, resentment can grow and fester at the heart of the relationship. The joy that once defined it and caused us to fall in love can disappear.
Partaking in couples counselling sessions or other interventions for family therapy can yield new perspectives and a renewed appreciation for the person you love and cherish. As long as you are both willing to work together, many relationships can weather difficult times and emerge stronger on the other side.
What treatments are used in family therapy?
At Your Counselling Clinic, we offer various therapeutic approaches, including:
- Narrative therapy: Narrative therapy focuses on the stories we tell about our lives and how these stories impact our emotions and behaviours. It helps individuals and families reframe their narratives to create more positive and empowering perspectives.
- Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT): CBT is a goal-oriented approach that helps individuals identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviours. In a family therapy context, CBT is a common approach that can help address specific issues and improve overall family dynamics, giving a greater self-awareness to how one’s actions affect others.
Meet Our Experts
Why Work with Us
1-on-1 Counselling
Take the first step towards transforming your life today!
Couples Counselling
Nurture your connection, resolve challenges, and strengthen your relationship!
Expertise with families
We’re committed to helping families connect, communicate, and grow!
Our Areas of Counselling & Therapy Expertise
Our therapists can help with a variety of conditions, disorders, and difficulties of modern life – and our sessions are designed to work with your unique circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do you have weekend or evening appointments?
Yes! We believe in counselling being accessible and offer appointments on weekends and evenings.
Q: does my whole family have to come in every time?
Though group sessions can be rewarding, they’re not the only way to make progress. We can accommodate individual sessions with different family members or online sessions for people who can’t be there in person. Each situation is unique, but we will always find a way to make it work.
Q: what if i’m not sure our problems are worth it?
That feeling is more common than you think. Look at it this way: if a problem is causing stress, anxiety, or conflict within your family, then it’s important enough to discuss. We can help you decide on the best course of action with a free consultation.
Start on the path to a healthier, happier family
Related Blogs & Articles
What Is the Cost of Therapy in Calgary?
If you had to guess out of the blue, how much do you think a 50-minute therapy session is in…
How To Manage Anxiety and Stress
Life doesn’t come with a recipe to follow, a tour guide or a manual. It can be messy, unpredictable and downright challenging. Stress unfortunately is just part of the deal.
Symptoms, Treatments, and Causes of Postpartum Depression
Bringing a child into the world can be one of life’s most beautiful – and most challenging – experiences, happening…