Family Therapy

Family Therapy is needed today because families are often stressed to the breaking point.  So many divorces could have been avoided, I believe, if only someone had helped them channel their best intentions into productive, preventive activity.

BEST INTENTIONS

When the best of intentions communicated between partners are being misinterpreted, stress may lead to desperate efforts to repair damage.  When best intentions of either partner are being consistently assigned negative motivations by the other partner it is only a matter of time before divorce seems to be the only option.

With each phase of the family life cycle come new opportunities as well as new challenges and concerns at multiple levels. Vulnerable areas can surface with in-law relationships, marital concerns, job stress, parenting styles, step-parenting, and competing calendars at different times of life.  Each family member can present challenges that are complex, tenacious and overwhelming, forcing other family members to come up with new ways to cope with and relate to each other.  It is important for families to begin exploring new ways of handling these transitions rather than using the same tools over and over again, hoping for a different, positive outcome that some have identified as the definition of insanity.

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPISTS

Marriage and Family Therapists are specially trained to join with families and  help them work through the issues that they are addressing in a constructive way that encourages healing, maturing and growth.  This can include coordinating care between health care providers, educators, and other professionals to develop comprehensive strategies and strategic solutions.  I believe these are  important considerations when medications are prescribed and where contributing factors may stem from family relationships.

More specifically, Family Therapy  specializes in helping families address challenges such as:

  • Step Family Issues
  • Raising Children and Parenting Issues
  • Adolescent Challenges
  • Caring for Elderly Parents
  • Adoption Challenges and Opportunities
  • Bereavement and Loss

For more information about Marriage and Family Therapists and the unique and specialized work they do, click HERE to go directly to the AAMFT website.