Therapy can help the whole family.
Family relationships are some of the most important relationships in our lives. The family we are born into shapes us in both obvious and not-so-obvious ways. If we become parents ourselves, we are suddenly in the role of important shaper and caretaker of another generation.
All family relationships are multi-dimentional and complex. Each family has its own unique challenges and unique joys. Navigating the challenges - whether as parents or as adult children - is equally complex. Counseling can help families navigate through to develop greater trust, affection, and enjoyment between members.
Family therapy or counseling can involve the whole family or various parts of the family, depending on the family's current needs and who is able to attend. Typically the family members who plan to participate in counseling will meet together with the therapist for the first therapy session to talk about goals for therapy. Other times therapists meet with parents’ first, and then introduce the children into the therapeutic process in later sessions. We work with families to find out what is important to them as a whole, and individually, including how they would like things to be different.
Here are some of the common reasons families seek therapy:
DEALING WITH IN-LAWS
In-Laws can be great, but they can also put a tremendous amount of stress on the family dynamic. Family therapy may be the best way to deal with some of these delicate situations without causing strain between you and your spouse.
NAVIGATING BLENDED FAMILIES
Blended families are very common and can produce wonderful experiences as well as unique challenges. The step parent - step child relationship can be fragile at times. The same can be said for adoptive siblings, step siblings, and half siblings. Family counseling can help you deal with jealousy or resentment that may be undermining the situation, and restore peace and harmony to your home.
DEALING WITH EX-SPOUSES
In the aftermath of a divorce you may not wish to have a lot of contact with your former partner. When children are involved however, that is not always an option. Often there is unresolved animosity and resentment and when there are parenting decisions to be made these feelings tend to be expressed through the children. You don't want to use the children to hurt each other, and you don't want the children to use that hurt to manipulate both of you. It may be difficult, but family counseling can help you work to find the common ground.
FACING LOSS
The loss of a family member at any stage of life is impactful. Each family member grieves in their own way, and staying connected to each other through the process can be difficult. Counseling is often helpful in facilitating closeness and support in the aftermath of family loss.
PARENT SUPPORT
Feeling overwhelmed or at your wit's end with the challenges of parenting? At Wise Heart Families, we have several options for specialized support:
Parent Coaching - Parent coaching is a great way to get individualized support to help you resolve problems and restore (or perhaps establish) peace in your family. After an initial assessment, coaching sessions usually take place by phone. Many parents find this is an affordable, accessible and effective solution for parenting problems.
Positive Discipline Parenting Education - It is possible to defuse power struggles and hold children accountable while building close, loving relationships with them. Based on the best-selling book series, Positive Discipline by Dr. Jane Nelson, this program teaches strategies for helping children develop self-discipline, responsibility, cooperation and problem-solving skills, all without resorting to punishment. Positive Discipline can be taught through fun, interactive classes, as part of a parent coaching agreement or as an in-service training for educators or caregivers.
Parenting Workshops - Programs can be scheduled as a one-time workshop or an on-going class and are often hosted by schools, daycare centers, churches or neighborhood groups. Please contact me for details and arrange a customized presentation for your group. For details on available workshops, see our Workshops page.
At a Glance
Family relationships are integral to who we are and can be both the most rewarding and difficult relationships we ever have. Family therapy can help restore emotionally close relationships, heal hurts and betrayals.
