Family Counseling

Family therapy is based on the theory that family is a cohesive unit in which the family members are acting and reacting to each another. Imagine a car engine. If one part of the engine is  not functioning properly, other parts in the engine could fail break or be affected. But, if all parts of the engine are working well, then the engine will performance at it's top level.

The goals of family therapy are:

assignment_turned_inEstablish healthy boundaries

assignment_turned_inImprove the unit function

assignment_turned_inChange negative patterns of interaction

assignment_turned_inBuild positive relationships among family unit

The family unit is interrelated and mutually influential, family therapists don't focus on the individual family member while under treatment. Instead, family therapists address the problems within the family unit. In other words, family therapists diagnose the situation in the family that is the contributing factor to the problem for the bad behaviors.

How Family Therapy Helps

Say a parents come to therapy and indicate that their son is being aggressive and, they think, out of control, the family therapist will assess recognizable behavior patterns in the family dynamics that might be contributing to the aggressive behavior. The Kid might find that the parents themselves are displaying aggressive behavior and that the son is merely displaying learned behaviors.