Top 5 Signs Your Family Needs Family Therapy

“The basic unit of any society is the home. When the home begins to break, society is on the way to disintegration,” said Billy Graham, a renowned speaker on love, family, and purpose.

More than half of all marriages in the United States officially ended in divorce, a breakup that impacts both the children and parents in ways far deeper than most people are aware of.

More than 1-in-4 children live without any type of father figure in the home, a fact that often gets perpetuated through the generations. Typically sons are likely to become absentee fathers themselves and daughters are likely to choose partners who will likely be absentee fathers.

Family is one of the most essential pillars for a flourishing society, but in recent decades there has been a significant breakdown of the family unit. At the same time, we’ve seen a rapid rise in intimate abuse, substance use, violence and devastating mental and physical health conditions.

None of these issues come from any single source, the fragmented family unit is simply recognized to be one of the dominant root causes. Now, more than ever, we have more resources available to heal ourselves and our homes; and now, more than ever, we need to.

In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at family therapy and share with you five of the biggest signs that your family could benefit from family therapy.

What is family therapy?

Family therapy — also commonly referred to as family counseling — is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on identifying, addressing, working on and resolving issues within the family unit.

Some common examples of family issues include:

• Different personalities clashing (even over small things)
• Frequent arguments, jealousy or fits
• Mental health issues, illnesses or disabilities
• Divorce or separation
• Infidelity and/or new partners
• New step-parents and step-siblings

While these are just a few family issues examples, the benefits of family therapy are many.

The top benefits of family therapy are:

• Clearer and healthier communication
• Increased kindness, compassion and acceptance
• Strengthened individual bonds and the overall family unit
• Learning how to resolve family conflict in healthy ways
• Reduces or eliminates passive-aggressive or manipulative behaviors
• Fosters more genuine peace and joy in the home

No family is perfect, so the truth is that every family can benefit from family therapy in some way or another. While certain families may be more dysfunctional than others, we can always learn (or remember) how to be more understanding, communicative and loving toward each other.

Signs your family needs therapy

If your family is experiencing one or more of the below symptoms, family counseling might just be exactly what you need to heal the wounds and/or dysfunction within your family unit.

1. Difficulties with family blending

Some initial resistance or friction is to be expected when joining two families together, but if abuse, manipulation, bullying or fighting starts to develop, family therapy can help to rebalance and heal the home.

2. Toxic dynamics with teenagers

Being a teenager is rough, both for the teen dealing with their parents and the parents dealing with their teen. It’s a time when “you don’t understand me” is felt deeply by both individuals who are often just trying their hardest to survive. 

Family therapy provides a structured environment for everyone to honestly communicate, freely express themselves and genuinely learn how to better respect and live with each other.

3. Addiction or substance use disorders

Alcohol and drug addiction are far more common than people realize, and they exist in families of every race, religion, social class, educational background and more. Because there is still so much misinformation spread about the nature of addiction, most cases go untreated and sometimes even unrecognized; family therapy can help you identify and treat this now.

4. Lacking or withholding intimacy

Intentionally withholding intimacy from a loved one is a deeply harmful form of emotional and psychological manipulation and punishment, whether the person doing it is aware of that or not.

A lack of intimacy often stems from trauma-based limitations around receiving or giving love, or a lack of understanding around “how” our partner, parent or child best feels loved. Family therapy can help to uncover individual “love languages,” as well as heal other intimacy issues.

5. Inability to leave the past behind

This could look like constantly bringing up old issues in new arguments; holding past mistakes against someone in the present; having difficulty seeing older children as young adults and treating them as such; and an inability to forgive. Family therapy can help you heal from the past so that you can move forward together in a happier, healthier dynamic.

Take the first step today

Here at Pyramid Online Counseling, we work with children, adolescents and adults to provide you with premier, confidential and highly secure counseling services from the comfort of your own home.

Our clinicians specialize in person-centered therapy and mindfulness to help families just like yours rediscover healthy dynamics, balance and joy within your familial relationships. As we don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach, we fully tailor our treatment and recovery services to each family in whatever way will best support their healing and growth.

If you’re ready to get started, we’re ready to help. Fill out this contact form to book your first session today.