All families face difficulties at some point. Getting help from a mental health professional is an effective way to improve communication and coping skills when stressors impact your family’s bonds. If you’re looking for family-oriented Chester County, Pennsylvania, therapy programs in Kennett Square, call New Horizons Recovery today at 267.435.3134.
What Is Family Counseling?
Family therapy is psychotherapy that involves the entire family unit. Individual members may also be participating in one-on-one counseling, but family therapy focuses on the function of the family as a whole. It is a tool that addresses dysfunction within the family and teaches skills that can strengthen family bonds and mutual support.
Many families first consider counseling because one or more members are struggling with a substance use disorder. While people with alcohol and substance use disorders benefit from individual treatment, addiction also damages the people around them.
In some cases, spouses, parents, or adult children must face their own part in a loved one’s addiction. Addressing issues like enabling, co-dependence, abuse, or family violence is necessary for the individual with a substance use disorder as well as for the wellness of the entire family.
Who Can Benefit from Family Therapy?
You don’t have to be dealing with a crisis to seek family counseling. Any family who wants to learn how to communicate better and support one another more fully will benefit from therapy.
Family therapy is often recommended when:
- Any member is struggling with substance use disorder, eating disorder, or other mental health concerns
- One or more member has experienced a traumatic event
- A family member has died, left the family, or has been incarcerated
- Parents are divorcing
- Abuse or neglect has occurred
- A major life transition has disrupted family harmony
- Poor communication causes problems
- One or more children are disruptive, defiant, or consistently misbehaving
If you feel your family dynamic could benefit from professional intervention, New Horizons offers family counseling in Pennsylvania that promotes the use of evidence-based therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy.
What to Expect from Family Counseling
Finding the right therapist for a family or an individual can sometimes take more than one try. The first session is an opportunity to get to know the therapist and for them to get an understanding of your family dynamics.
If it doesn’t feel like the right fit, don’t give up. The therapist will not be offended if you prefer to see a different professional, and they may have recommendations for you.
Once you have decided on a therapist, you can expect to meet for approximately an hour at least once a week. Though having every member of the family participate in therapy is ideal, it is not necessary. You, your family, and your therapist will all have input on the time and frequency of sessions.
Family counseling typically includes:
- A lot of talking and sharing of personal feelings
- Conflict resolution
- Participation in family activities and “homework” outside of the therapist’s office
- Identifying the family’s strengths and weaknesses
- Learning new skills
- Support for the entire family from the therapist
Family therapy is typically brief. It may be used as a stand-alone treatment to address family problems or as part of a more comprehensive treatment plan.
New Horizons Recovery Offers Family Therapy in Pennsylvania
If your family is going through a difficult time, the New Horizons Recovery team wants to remind you that you’re not alone. In addition to our comprehensive behavioral treatment programs, we also offer family therapy to those seeking improvement in their family communication and function. Call New Horizons Recovery today at 267.435.3134 or use our convenient contact form to learn more about our programs.