Does Family Therapy Really Work?

Modern-day life and work balance remain an issue for millions of people. So many people tend to be busy with work most of the time. Work and responsibilities are creating stressful conditions for people to be in, and this is also starting to affect their relationships.

One of the most special bonds we form soon after birth and throughout our lives is family relations. This includes the primary caretakers of children as well as siblings and extended family too. 

Sadly, most people begin to have a casual approach towards the most special and most important relations. Family therapy can help with that. 

WHAT IS FAMILY THERAPY?

Just like other forms of therapy and counseling available today, family therapy is one that typically deals with family dynamics and internal matters within a family. No matter the age, background or any aspects related to the family members, therapists who specialize in family therapy can speak to and deal with internal matters of almost all kinds of families. 

In a typical therapy session, the family therapist would ask to meet with all the family members and speak to each of them regarding their concerns with the other members. This can not only benefit the members of the family to be able to speak without fear, but also improve the communication from each side of the members. 

Generally, therapy such as Hellinger family constellations therapy helps the family members to be able to address any of their issues or emotional tendencies or worries regarding the others in the family and be able to find a solution to handle them in the best possible way. This helps people understand each other better and also move on in a healthy way, with stronger bonds of emotional ties. 

WHAT DO PEOPLE EXPERIENCE AFTER FAMILY THERAPY?

Very often, people visit a professional due to one or more reasons related to possible misunderstandings, negative emotional reactions or imbalance in the relationship with the other members of the family. 

After a few sessions, there are a number of things that can change:

1. Members of the family, especially parents and children, feel better regarding their communication with each other. Very often, it is difficult for the children to be able to communicate their feelings, opinions or ideas with their parents, and parents may also simply be unequipped to understand their children in the best way. Through family therapy, communication between the members can drastically improve, hence making it easier for everyone to be able to share their needs with each other. 
2. Couples may very often feel distant from each other, especially if they are mostly busy with work or have become new parents. Family therapy may also help partners be more open and connected with each other emotionally, to be able to move ahead in their relationship and family as equals. 
3. In many houses, there is more than one child growing with the parents. While growing up, siblings may also have a number of issues with each other, which may not be easy for the parents to solve themselves simply because a child learns a lot by themselves and it may not be possible to handle such situations through anger from the parents. Family therapists can also help the parents to understand the dynamics between their children and try to find solutions for them. Over time, sibling relations have shown drastic improvement when guided by a professional. 
4. A family may also go through certain difficult circumstances or the loss of a loved one. Many times, it affects the family dynamics as the members involved are affected. Difficult circumstances may involve unfaithfulness from the partners, financial troubles or even accidents. It is very helpful to get professional guidance and make sure that the family members do not suffer. 

CONCLUSION

While it may seem daunting to some to be involved in a talking session with their family members and speak their heart out, if done right, family therapy can bring a lot of improvement in the lives of the members of the family. 

For a number of reasons, we expect our loved ones to understand us without explanation or proper communication. This expectation burdens a number of relations in one’s life, especially within a family. People distance themselves from their parents, siblings or elders, and time drifts them apart. 

One should understand the importance of these close-knit bonds and try their best to maintain them positively. When required, consulting a professional will not only bring out and help one deal with the existing issues it also helps to maintain a strong foundation for the future.