Family Counseling

Family counseling is a type of therapy that is designed to help a family develop and maintain healthy relationships. In any given family, there may be behavioral, psychological, or emotional problems that undermine the health of the family’s relationships. Typically, family counseling is provided by a licensed therapist, psychologist, or clinical social worker.

They will interact with each member of the family, asking questions to probe the situation and develop an understanding of the dynamics in your family situation. To address whatever issues may be undermining the health of your relationships, your counselor may do sessions with all the family members concerned in the same room or alternate between the family members as appropriate.

Airing the “dirty laundry” of your family may feel uncomfortable, but family counseling is a safe space that offers you and your family a place of support. This space is necessary to provide each member of your family an opportunity to grow spiritually and process their emotions, providing the necessary tools and skills for your family to cultivate healthy relationships and create lasting change.

The therapeutic techniques that your therapist employs will depend on the specific problem your family is facing. Several types of therapy are available for use to achieve this goal, and they include:

• narrative therapy, which helps each family member become aware of their positive qualities or traits and develop a personal narrative that enables them to face their problems and constructively address negative influences.
• strategic therapy, which examines the patterns of interaction and conflict in the family and increases awareness of these patterns and dynamics.
• structural therapy, which assesses how family members relate to one another, the roles each member of the family fills, and the power dynamics at play within the family. Sometimes, families interact with one another in dysfunctional ways, and this form of therapy breaks down those areas of dysfunction while seeking to empower and establish respect for each family member.
• transgenerational therapy, which looks at the belief systems that are often passed down from one generation of the family to the next. This therapy seeks to break down the operative beliefs in the family that may be unhelpful or destructive.

The number of sessions your family will need in order to work through your concerns rests mainly on the specific issues being addressed. Sometimes10-12 sessions are sufficient to work through your concerns and begin living out healthy patterns of behavior within your family.

Family counseling is designed to address a variety of issues that families face. Some of these relate to challenges one member is facing and the rest of the family needs help to understand how best to come alongside them, while others relate to a family-generated dynamic that is unhelpful for an individual or the family. The kinds of concerns that are addressed in family counseling include the following:

• overcoming loss or tragedy
• problems in school such as bullying or poor grades
• discipline issues such as children acting out
• negative behavioral changes
• substance abuse or addiction issues
• conflict between family members
• struggles with faith or belief in God
• the family undermining the individual counseling of one of its members
• anger issues
• trauma
• poor or unhelpful communication
• conflict over family finances and use of resources
• mental health challenges such as anxiety or anxiety disorders, depression,Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), or eating disorders
• a lack of emotional intimacy within the home
• issues with in-laws or extended family members
• separation or divorce

The purpose of family counseling is not to ascribe blame, but to help the family become a more cohesive unit of members that are aware of one another’s needs and are equipped to meet those needs.

Family counseling can be useful in situations that generate stress, conflict, anger, or grief. Using tools such as Family Systems Theory, a family therapist has a good understanding of how families work as a unit, what can undermine that cohesion, and how to turn families into supportive and positive spaces for all their members.

Family counseling has many benefits, and these include helping family members to:

• forgive one another for past transgressions and pain caused
• develop deeper empathy for one another
• provide support and become a healthy presence for family members who may have been feeling isolated
• become better communicators who can express their needs without manipulation, anger, or other inappropriate ways
• develop an atmosphere of honesty, safety, and trust in the family unit
• develop anger management skills
• strengthen family bonds and bring the family together
• cultivate a better understanding of personal boundaries and healthy family dynamics
• learn how to reduce stress and recognize sources of conflict, as well as gain skills to deescalate conflict when it arises
• grow their family’s capacity and skill to problem-solve and cope when under stress
• develop conflict management skills

Family counseling can help family members improve their communication skills and resolve conflicts that may be disrupting family life. Family counseling identifies and addresses these and many other problems.

The goals of family counseling include:

• Resolving family problems and conflicts
• Improving communication between family members
• Building mutual understanding and cultivating a functioning and supportive home environment
• Teaching coping skills to bring the family members closer together
• Nurturing change and development toward healthy patterns of relationship

Christian family counseling can help you accomplish the above by using evidence-based therapeutic techniques while helping you to find faith-based solutions that can deepen your relationships with God and each other. By grounding your family relationships in godly wisdom, you rest on a solid foundation for a healthy home and family life.When each member of the family is affirmed and supported, it provides room for your family to pull in the same direction while honoring the God-given diversity and gifting of each member.

You may be going through some tough seasons as a family, but you can weather the storm and come out on the other side in one piece and stronger than ever. The Lord desires for you and your family to flourish. The good news is that a licensed Christian family and marriage therapist can help your family grow in understanding and empathy with one another. Your current situation does not have to be the last word on the matter. Christian family counseling can provide your family with the tools and skills you need to stand firm amid life’s challenges and grow in ways that honor the Lord.

Your family, whatever form it takes, is a great gift and blessing from God. Christian family counseling may just be what your family needs at this time, and you should consider taking steps to find a counselor. Feel free to browse our counselor directory if you want to find out more about Christian family counseling or make an appointment with one of the counselors.