Each family is unique. Whether you are young parents or raising teenagers, each family experiences challenges. Family therapy is useful for children, teenagers and adults experiencing a wide range of difficulties including: separation, divorce, step-family life, child, adolescent and adult behavior difficulties, the aftermath of a traumatic experience, parenting issues, couple conflict, issues related to adoption, rivalry between siblings, parental alienation, communication breakdown, illness and disabilities in the families.
Talking with a supportive person about what you are thinking and feeling may
be an enormous relief in itself. Feeling like someone understands what you are
going through may help you feel like a weight has been lifted off your chest.
Also, having some input from your therapist may help you find solutions to your
current difficulties.
Psychotherapy is a treatment options for mental health issues that is backed
by years of rigorous scientific research. The best research evidence, conclusively
shows that individual, group and couple/family psychotherapy are effective for a broad
range of disorders, symptoms and problems with children, adolescents, adults, and older
adults.
Depending on your specific needs, your family therapist may suggest to meet with the
whole family, with the parents only, or at times with only one individual, or only two
individuals (ex: mother and daughter).
As with any form of therapy with a qualified professional, therapy begins with an initial
assessment period where your family therapist will get to know your family and help you
define therapy goals.
Family therapy tries to understand the problematic dynamics that are taking place between members of the family and will enable family members to express themselves freely during therapy. The family therapist will invite engagement and support between family members. Gradually, family members learn to talk together about the distressing issues in the family and learn to generate solutions.
In parental coaching, the family therapist meets with both parents to gain an understanding
of their home-life challenges. In this case, the therapist will really act as a supportive
coach and will provide concrete solutions. The therapist will help you gain some parental
skills, to improve the communication with your children, to reduce tension in the family, to
set appropriate boundaries and expectations towards their children. A combination of both family
therapy and parental coaching may be recommended.
In all forms of therapy, your psychologist will work in a partnership with you. You are not the
passive receiver of treatment but rather collaborating with your psychologist in a joint process.