Everyone begins life as part of a family. The norm is that the family consists of blood relatives. However, it can just as easily be with adoptive parents in Minnesota or a caring foster family. The family you are part of at birth influences everything you are, or you do, from the first moments to the last. Your family affects what you will become. They teach you your vocabulary; you absorb their habits, customs, beliefs, and rituals.
If you are part of a healthy family, you learn how to develop and maintain healthy relationships. If, however, you are born into a dysfunctional family that constantly struggles to connect, you too may have the same problems. For those born into the second type, family therapy can help everyone regain a sense of togetherness and happiness.
What is Family Therapy?
As the term implies, family therapy is designed to address issues that affect the health and wellbeing of a family. It can help families that are struggling to cope with a specific issue, a major transition, behavioral issues or mental problems in family members. When one member of a family is struggling with a problem, in many cases the problem cannot be addressed without an understanding of the family dynamics. The way a family functions has a direct influence on how the problem came about, and how to solve it.
Different forms of therapy are employed. Cognitive therapy, behavior therapy, and interpersonal therapy are all used. The techniques that are employed depending on the specifics of the family problem.
Emotional and behavioral problems in children and adolescents are reasons to seek family therapy. The problems of young people do not exist in a vacuum; they exist in and need to be addressed, as a whole, involving input and support of all family members.
To help the family function as a unit, family therapists focus on improving communication, problem-solving and creating a more functional home environment.
If you are facing a situation where family therapy in Minnesota can help, contact Options Family & Behavior Services, Inc.
