Family therapy and counselling
Family, or systemic psychotherapy, is relationship therapy ranging from working with couples through to larger family groups.
What is family therapy?
Family therapy is talking therapy designed to resolve conflict between family members.
The goal is to assist, support and enable those in a close relationship to work through any issues they may be having. This is achieved through helping individual members of the family, or system, understand their impact on the group. Family therapy creates an environment in which each member of the group feels able to express their thoughts and emotions. A place where their perspectives can be properly heard.
Family therapy, also known as systemic therapy, can often be very helpful in managing complex relationships with children. It can also be used to facilitate a dialogue with adult members of the same family.
Therapists work with the family system to resolve conflict, deadlocks and help each member of the group to find a healthier was of expressing their feelings, in ways strengthen rather than harm relationships.
Systemic therapy is a particularly effective and useful approach for modern families where parents are often juggling busy careers, integrating children from previous relationships, or simply feeling unable to resolve conflicts.
How can systemic therapy benefit us?
Systemic (family) therapy takes the position that each and every member of the family or group contributes to the overall system. The therapist therefore works with the whole system and considers how each member of the group may be bringing past relational patterns into the group, how unconscious beliefs may be limiting change and what certain behaviours expressed by individuals may be meaning. The latter can be particularly relevant for understanding teenage behaviour. Ultimately, whether we are a child, teenager or adult, all of our behaviour is a communication. This therapy aims to assist families in developing healthy ways of communicating and expressing themselves, in ways that nurture and deeper the family dynamic.
What issues can you help families with?
Some of the common areas families seek support with include:
– Divorce
– Blended families
– Estranged family members
– Ongoing conflict
– Communication problems
– Managing strong emotions
– Lack of emotional closeness or trust
For a more in-depth understanding of systemic therapy, please click here and read our page on this type of therapy. Or read Professor Richard Layard’s guide to family therapy for beginners.
We have practices in Lewes and Hove and have clients from right across Sussex as well as London and further afield. To find out about Brighton and Hove Psychotherapy’s family therapy services get in touch with us today.
