Common Questions
In family therapy, you can talk about whatever you like! Your therapist will help guide the conversation to the patterns that bring the family into therapy. More important than what we talk about, is how we talk about it. Family therapy will help the family communicate their needs more effectively. Over time, you will all talk more about your needs and feelings, which will strengthen your family relationships.
Family therapy is beneficial for families under stress. Family therapy is also great for families where you are starting to feel disconnected from one another. This could be for any reason - time apart, anxiety, depression, behavioral challenges, etc. In family therapy, you’ll learn how to use your communication and emotions to strengthen your relationships. These new ways of communicating will also help each of you for the rest of your life.
Everyone in the family comes to family therapy. In family therapy, the goal is to improve the relationships among everyone, not to solve one specific problem or correct one specific person. As the relationships get better, so do the problems.
Nope! Your therapist will not pick a side in family therapy. That can be frustrating sometimes. But your therapist isn’t going to pick a “winner” or tell the family who is “right” once and for all. Your therapist will help family members communicate their needs to each other and help family members support each other’s needs.
In family therapy, family relationships are the priority. Your therapist (unfortunately) won’t pick a side. They will help the family communicate their needs more effectively with one another. Like in individual therapy, the goal is to help relationships grow and help everyone meet their needs.
Every family is unique and every family develops its own unique patterns. These patterns shape the way that things typically run. Sometimes these patterns are helpful. When we know what to expect from each other, we feel more in sync. Running on “autopilot,” though, can leave the family feeling disconnected. When family members start feeling disconnected, they tend to pull back. That means that things are going unsaid. Needs are going unmet. That pressure builds like water behind a dam until it leaks out in different actions. This could mean children getting into trouble at school, grades dropping, irritability between caregivers at the dinner table, ignoring others, and more. The best way to develop new patterns that work for everyone is by learning to express yourself and communicate in a healthy way. That’s what will lead to needs getting met, those less helpful behaviors going away, and the family coming back together.
In family therapy, everyone gets to express themselves. There isn’t a “problem child” or “bad parent.” Everyone has needs that aren’t getting met. To help everyone in the family get their needs met, everyone needs to be able to express themselves fully. In our first session, we’ll get everyone’s unique perspective on the family. We’ll hear about goals and challenges. From there, your therapist will guide the conversation. Shining a light on how everyone talks to one another. How certain family relationships may be impacting other family members. What is going unsaid. After we uncover and understand what is under the surface, your family will better communicate and get their needs met - building and strengthening your pride
