Family Therapists
Family therapy, a specialized form of group therapy, focuses on fostering harmony within a defined unit of individuals who share care and consider themselves family. The primary objective of family therapy is to cultivate mutual understanding, provide support, and establish a sense of unity within the familial structure.
How Does Family Therapy Work?
Family therapy helps family members understand each other and work through difficult feelings in a safe space. This type of therapy focuses on improving the interactions and communication between family members. It is usually used when the family is contributing to a person’s difficulties or when one person’s problems are impacting other family members. When each person feels supported and works within their strengths, positive changes in relationships and in people’s lives will hopefully result.
Family therapists may:
- Talk about each person’s goals and hopes.
- Encourage everyone to talk about their own experiences and listen to each other.
- Clarify each person’s beliefs, values, needs, hopes and assumptions so that everyone understands each other.
- Help families stop blaming each other and begin exploring how everyone can work together to make positive changes.
- Help people understand the impact of their words and behaviours on other members of the family.
- Help families talk about the challenges they’re facing.
- Support families as they work through their own goals.
