Online and In-Person Therapy for Families
Healthy, functional families set every member of the family up for success in life, but like other complicated interpersonal relationships, families aren’t often ideal for every person. Individuals in the family may feel out of place, they may have a behavioral or emotional concern that is impacting the whole family unit, or the family may be struggling together with a transition or loss. There are many situations where a family may be struggling to offer love, support, and stability, but family therapy can help you develop stronger attachment bonds, communicate more effectively, and grow closer together. You can learn more about online therapy for families at Lakeside Counseling on this page or by reaching out to our team for a consultation appointment.
Why Would Families Choose to Visit a Therapist?
Like individual or couples therapy, families may choose to visit with a therapist because a specific problem has already occurred, but family therapy can also be a great option to improve your familial bonds. If you want a stronger, healthier family unit that allows each member to thrive, therapy can help. Some of the common reasons for family therapy include:
Healing together after a traumatic experience (that impacts one or more members of the family)
Navigating life transitions together (moving, changing careers, fostering, adopting, or having another child)
Parental separation or divorce
Supporting the therapy process for one or more family members who are in individual therapy and may be struggling
Creating boundaries and feeling safe when a family member is in recovery or struggling with active addiction
Understanding and healing after domestic violence or other forms of abuse in the family
What Happens During Family Therapy?
Family therapy can be very dynamic. Each family member brings a unique set of needs to the situation, and the therapist needs to be ready to respond to the individual family members as well as supporting the entire family unit. To get started, you will typically meet with your therapist as a family. Then, your therapist may want to sit down one-on-one with each family member to ensure they feel able to share their experiences fully. Despite best intentions, one or more family member may have a difficult time opening up in larger family therapy sessions, so this can be beneficial to allow each person to be heard. From there, you may schedule regular sessions with the whole family or any combination of family members who need to work on a specific challenge together. Throughout the course of therapy, your therapist will partner with you to develop stronger familial bonds, repair breakdowns in your relationships, improve communication, set healthy boundaries, or achieve any number of other goals for your family. This may involve using a variety of therapy approaches and styles to meet the differing needs of each member of the family. Our family therapists have the necessary skill and experience to provide effective, dynamic therapy for the families who partner with us.
Get Started with an Intake Appointment
At Lakeside Counseling, we begin the therapy process with a 55 minute intake session to explore the reasons you are seeking therapy and to set goals. When you’re ready to get started, we look forward to hearing from you.