family therapist Most of us talk to each other to solve problems and try to understand each other in terms of problems. But when we cannot get rid of the problem despite our efforts, we consult our close friends or a distant family member about possible solutions to the problem.
What should we do if the problem persists after all this? In this situation family therapist is used as a way to solve the problem.
With the help of a family therapist, the lack of mutual communication between the various relationships in the family is overcome. A family therapist looks for the cause of conflict within the family and helps resolve the issues that arise from it.
The therapist aims to improve communication between family members such as spouses or parents with children or other family relationships.
For what type of problems is family therapy necessary?
This therapy is essential to deal with various problems within a family-
Parenting problems?
Behavioral problems of adolescent boys and girls and children in the family
The therapy also helps in dealing with the mental illness of a loved one and how to communicate with them.
Coping with a loved one's mental illness is a family struggle. Family therapy is very effective in showing the right way to fight this.
Family therapy also helps in understanding family members' sexual orientation and same-sex relationships
Problems faced by couples after marriage like changing family roles, intimacy issues, need therapy to build a strong bond between the two.
This therapy can be used to intervene in the relationship between spouses before marriage in a family
Family therapy is also important for empty nest syndrome in middle-aged couples.
'But I don't need family therapy! Many people are hesitant to talk about their problems with a family therapist. Because they feel that it is never right to discuss family details with an outsider.
There are still others who are unwilling to discuss family problems in front of a therapist, citing a lack of awareness and a sense of stigma.
On the other hand, there are many families who try to understand the complexities within the family with the help of therapy and improve the relationship between them.
According to experts, there are many myths about family therapy due to fear of therapy and lack of open mind was born
How does family therapy work?
Through family therapy, each family member is psychologically analyzed to find the cause of their problems and to understand the structure of a family. Also arrangements are made to find the root cause of family problems. The various steps in this process are:
1. Determination of importance step- In this step, a complete picture about the therapy emerges in front of us by answering some questions asked to the therapist, such as-
How long will this phase last? , How long will the therapy take?, Who is absolutely necessary to be present during the therapy?, How will the information be kept confidential?
How much experience has the therapist gained, has the therapist faced any similar problems in the past.
At this stage a therapist first encounters an individual or a group of family members and determines the importance of the dynamics of that family.
The overall concept or importance of a family depends on several factors, such as boundaries, its hereditary position, decision making etc.
Boundaries refer to mutual restrictions developed between family members. These boundaries may lie with the parents of the family, who develop some family norms (also called subsystems),
With them in the next generation of that family or distant relatives of the family. Hereditary position is the arrangement of power within the family and among family members.
Which also affects the interactions and activities of the members. For example, in a patriarchal family, fathers are at the top of the line of power.
A therapist tries to understand the cause of family conflict by talking with family members individually or jointly about the family's ongoing problems.
Along with this, they also try to understand the mutual communication style of family members. In this way the therapist finds a way to identify the root problem.
If all the family members are not interested in family therapist, then one of the family members can seek expert help to solve family problems.
2. Entry Phase – Based on the information gathered from the first phase i.e. importance determination phase the therapist tries to develop a theory and enters the family to make recommendations accordingly.
Depending on the nature of the problem, the therapist tries to solve it in different ways. Using the principles of cognitive behavioral therapists, they seek to change their thinking and evaluation of problems.
The solutions provided by the therapist in the context of these changes help family members.
An ideal family myth or proverb?
We are social beings and our lives are inextricably linked with our neighbor, friends or our brothers and sisters' families, relatives. Our natural thinking is that our acquaintances, relatives are well,
May they be happy and get everything they want in life. According to experts, this is the basic mantra or myth of an ideal family. An ideal family refers to those families where there is no communication problem between the family members,
There is no disagreement between them. They are always happy with each other. There are many people who seek the help of a family therapist,
Because they believe that this will make their family an ideal family. But this idea is not correct. If there is no co-existence of thoughts or opinions of members within the family and there is a lack of mutual communication,
Then it is important to solve those problems first with the help of family therapy. Only through this solution can a family become an ideal family.
What other solutions can we expect outside of the family therapist?
It is very commonly assumed that a family therapist can provide permanent solutions to all problems between family members. But this idea is not correct. What else is required for this-
Seek the help of a professional therapist who will listen to your problems with empathy and not give too much importance to his own opinion
You should keep your conversations secret from other family members, it is important to have constructive conversations, every member of the family should be given the opportunity to speak equally.
Therapists need to act impartially without taking sides and seek to find the root cause of family conflict and try to resolve it.
The therapist's effectiveness depends on how much the situation improves during the course of therapy.