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Family psychotherapy is designed to help identify problems that the family has to deal with, as well as identify their causes. This form of therapy is often used to analyze misunderstandings and conflicts in the relationship between parents and children of different ages. We check what is worth knowing about family psychotherapy.
Family psychotherapy – what is it?
Family psychotherapy is a form of psychological help for families. It supports parents struggling with upbringing problems, looking for ways to resolve conflicts or finding ways to stabilize the situation when one of the family members suffers from a mental disorder.
Family problems are not limited to social pathologies. Unfavorable phenomena manifested in the behavior of children or conflicts may result from specific educational models, as well as from an imbalance in the distribution of roles and responsibilities. The functioning of the family is influenced by many factors, and problems with communication or lack of understanding are conducive to the emergence of conflicts, sometimes also unconscious ones.
The need to use family psychotherapy should not cause embarrassment, nor should participation in other types of therapy. psychotherapeutic help. The emotional and social development of each person depends to a large extent on the family situation. After all, it is the relatives who are the basic social cell to which one belongs from an early age.
All tensions and unresolved problems may show up in the behavior of the child, adolescent and caregivers. Avoiding confrontation or not talking about difficulties can also affect adulthood and reveal in a negative form. If it is difficult or impossible to work out problematic issues on your own, family psychotherapy is the recommended solution.
- Find out when it is worth using psychotherapy.
Family psychotherapy – indications
The family may look for opportunities to participate in psychotherapy on its own, but sometimes such a suggestion may come from the family doctor or psychologist. If we want to find out if family psychotherapy is a suitable form of help for us, it is best to go to a psychological consultation. During the meeting with the appropriate specialist, we will find out what psychotherapy is and what you can expect from it.
In the case of dysfunctional or pathological families, the assistance of a clinical psychologist or special educator may be necessary.
The reason for applying for family psychotherapy may be specific situations that contributed to the emergence of a family crisis. An example of such a situation is a serious illness of one of the family members, a change in living conditions or a clearly defined conflict. Sometimes the source of family problems is difficult to detect, especially when we deal only with symptoms, e.g. frequent quarrels, parenting problems, reluctance to talk, cooperate or ignore our role in the household. The situation is easier to break down into prime factors with the help of a psychotherapist.
Other circumstances that are the basis for family psychotherapy is an eating disorder in children and adolescents. If anorexia is observed in a teenager or teenager, it is important to be aware that this disorder is psychological. The condition of the child may be influenced by the situation at school, environmental pressure, but also too high expectations on the part of family members or the lack of adequate support. Disagreements also arise between adult children and their parents, sometimes with siblings or other relatives.
Family psychotherapy – how is it going?
The course of family psychotherapy depends on the psychotherapist’s approach and the specificity of the problems that have to be dealt with. There are different approaches to family therapy and it is them that largely determine the role of the psychotherapist and the methods of work that are used to achieve goals. In some therapeutic models, the meeting leader maintains his distance and neutrality, while in others he is more involved, cooperates with patients or actively works to initiate changes in the family structure.
Family psychotherapeutic sessions are conducted in various configurations. At the beginning, the psychotherapist may propose a meeting in a larger group, even if the problem is focused on one person (e.g. a child). The perspective of other family members is useful for the therapist and helps to plan further meetings that may be attended by those who are directly affected by the misunderstanding or dispute.
Participation in psychotherapy is possible and makes sense when all participants decide to do so voluntarily and want to find a solution to the problems affecting their family.
What methods are used in family psychotherapy?
A popular theory used in family psychotherapy is the systemic approach. The family is treated as a system that is jointly built by all its members. A given system may be influenced by the problems of one person, but also the general situation or a family crisis affects the individual condition of each parent or child. Systemic psychotherapy takes different directions – it can be focused on a specific goal (e.g. solving a specific problem) or on the gradual development of changes in relationships or behavior patterns.
Other models can also be adapted to family psychotherapy, including:
- psychodynamic model – focuses on the influence of past experiences on the present, aims to work through old family conflicts and reduce their impact on the current family life;
- cognitive-behavioral model – learning socially adequate behaviors, especially in relation to relatives, as well as changing the view on conflicts and specific behaviors of family members, is of key importance.
Read more:
- How does cognitive behavioral psychotherapy work?
- What is psychodynamic psychotherapy?
Family psychotherapy – effects
Family psychotherapy should be approached with an appropriate attitude and awareness of the effects of the session to be expected. Desirable the result of psychotherapy is to achieve the goals set in advance. As a group of people usually take part in family meetings, each participant determines his individual goals. Their implementation indirectly should lead to beneficial changes in general family relationships.
Satisfactory results of the therapy can be expected if each family member approaches the session with openness and responsibility for their own shortcomings and mistakes. Building mutual understanding where it has not been before is crucial. Such a therapeutic effect in the course of work with the family requires several weeks or several months of work – it all depends on the type of difficulties we want to deal with. One family meeting with a psychotherapist usually lasts at least an hour, and some specialists suggest sessions lasting up to 90 minutes. Family psychotherapy prices they usually reach the level of PLN 150-300 per visit. In the case of sessions with two psychotherapists, the cost increases to about PLN 400.
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