““Why Family Therapy… because it deals with family pain”

–Virginia Satir-

Family Therapy works to assist the family in rebuilding relationships between and among family members. Family therapy helps to regain the care for family members, understand each other’s needs and assist each other in working through issues and increasing psychological health and thus well-being.

As a Clinical Psychologist, my role is to create a context where emotions and thoughts may be expressed in a safe environment in order for the family members to understand each other’s views and experiences.

Family therapy may be useful in:

• Dealing with conflict within the family
• Adjusting to the addition of a new family member
• Transitioning between the different life stages of a family
• Assisting the family in understanding and adjusting to a member with psychological difficulties or any other medical condition
• Grieving together after the loss of a family member
• Negotiating family dynamics during the process of a divorce
• Blending families together when parents re-marry

Read more at https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/modes/family-therapy

As a Clinical Psychologist, I will firstly talk to everyone in the family individually in order to obtain a clear picture of what is going on. I will ask questions about how each person views the problems, when the trouble started, and how the family has been trying to manage things so far.

Once each member has been heard individually, and possible hindrances to a joint process have been addressed, a therapeutic space is created where family members can work towards more effective communication and more satisfying relationships between family members and within the greater family.

When should we consider Family Therapy?

Family therapy may be indicated when families are characterised by high levels of overt or covert conflict that they have difficulty resolving.

Families can benefit from therapy when they experience any stressful event that may strain family relationships, such as financial hardship, divorce, or the death of a loved one. In addition, it can be effective in treating mental health concerns that impact the family as a whole.