Family therapy is a type of psychotherapy created to identify the unhealthy patterns and mental illness in a family and help the family to break the unhealthy patterns and nurture change and development.
The goal of family therapy is to establish healthy relationships within the family which will create a better functioning home environment and make the family members actively engaged in each other’s lives.
There can be many reasons for disagreement between the family members. Some of the most common disagreements are petty fights between siblings, disputes with parents or partners, lack of communication, domestic abuse, feeling of neglect, separation, lack of understanding, and many more reasons that can break the bond in a family.
Another reason for family disagreements is the failure of younger generations to live up to the expectations of their parents. While the older generation sticks to their beliefs and refuses to acknowledge the changes in their children. This can affect the communication between the family members and can break their bond.
Major psychological disorders can also be treated by family therapy. It can educate the family members about the issues faced by an individual. The family learns to support the individual and can help in the recovery process and can help to avoid relapses.
GOALS OF FAMILY THERAPY :
Family therapy is said to deal with intimate problems in a family. As a result, it helps to establish a better home environment. Family therapists use different counseling techniques to establish family therapy goals. The 3 important goals of family therapy are:
IMPROVING COMMUNICATION:
One of the major goals of family therapy is to improve communication between family members. Lack of communication can weaken the bond between family members and may lessen their ability to understand each other. Lack of communication can happen because of petty disputes, separation, or lack of understanding.
Family therapists use their counseling techniques to identify the dysfunctional areas in a family and work on them to create healthy communication within the family. Communication is considered to be very important as it helps the family members to understand each other and work with each other to create a better and happier family.
OVERCOME FAMILY PROBLEMS :
Family therapists facilitate problem-solving within the family by easing communication and tension between the family members, which leads to a better understanding of each other’s behavior, needs and problems. Family therapy helps the family members to empathize with the affected member’s condition and help them to mend relationships.
It encourages healthy and open discussions of mental health problems and addresses the disputes in the family. It helps to reduce the chances of family conflict.
ALLOWS SHARING OF EMOTIONS BETWEEN FAMILY :
Most people find it difficult to share what they are feeling with their families. Family therapists help families to overcome this problem. They help an individual to understand their emotions better and communicate with ease to their family. In most cases of mental illness, families tend to be the most reliable source of support.
Families seek family therapy because they want to work together and mend their broken relationship. Many people do not realize the significance of attending family therapy, family therapy helps the family to function with ease. Family therapy is considered to be an effective way to mend relationships and build a healthy home together.