9 problems for which it is convenient to go to family therapy

Family therapy is one of the modalities of psychological intervention that is increasingly in demand, due to the variety of problems and alterations in each person that usually have their origin in the family.

As awareness of mental health has increased, it has become clear that emotional well-being it is not something that depends solely on each individual person, but has causes and effects in their social environment immediate.

There are many ways to detect when it is necessary to request the services of a family psychology professional; Below we will highlight the most important ones.

• Related article: "Family therapy: types and forms of application"

What are the main problems for which it is convenient to go to family therapy?

These are the experiences and problems before which it is advisable to go to family therapy.

1. Very frequent intense discussions

Frequent discussions constitute one of the most common queries received by professionals in the family therapy, and are among the most common causes of problems that occur within family. Many times these "clashes" between two or more people do not have a recurring theme that triggers them, but the problem is that

both have internalized a dysfunctional way of trying to resolve conflicts with the other.

Discussions in a family are often a natural way to resolve any type of conflict, however, the problem appears when these have an excessive frequency, for example almost daily, and there is an excessive predisposition among its members towards the escalation of the conflict.

In these cases, the work of psychology professionals consists in part of acting as a mediator or arbitrator, in identifying the root of said problem and in training each one of the members of the the family in adaptive relationship modalities (in which emotional management, anger control, negotiation, empathy and training in social skills of all Type).

• You may be interested: "The 11 Types of Conflict (and How to Resolve Them)"

2. Communication problems

Communication problems are also very common causes that can explain the family conflicts of all kinds, and these have to do both with a negative model of communication as with all kinds of communication blocks or topics that are considered taboo.

To deal with this type of problem, psychology professionals put all kinds of communication strategies and social skills back into operation, such as training in the control of emotions, empathy, active listening, assertiveness, emotional intelligence or negotiation.

In the case of taboos or “forbidden” topics for the family, it is important that therapy becomes a space for open communication in the family. that all the members of the same can express their feelings and talk about everything that worries them, or that they have not been able to share until now.

• Related article: "The 10 basic communication skills"

3. Family support before a process of individual psychotherapy

In cases where a person has developed a psychopathology, the family can act as a therapeutic element to support that relative in their recovery, in a process of psychological therapy.

And it is that, as has been shown on countless occasions, an understanding and willing to support family is enormously beneficial in cases in which one of its members presents some type of psychological alteration or emotional.

4. Family support in a case of addiction

In cases of addiction, family support also plays an essential role in contributing to the person's detoxification and overcoming her addictive disorder.

Both chemical and behavioral addictions usually have a destabilizing component of coexistence very important, which means that these disorders usually have a very negative influence, even going so far as to destroy them, any relationship that the person may have, both social and family.

• You may be interested: "The 14 most important types of addictions"

5. Problems of adaptation

Adaptation problems or difficulties are forms of discomfort that occur when something happens that qualitatively transforms the routines and habits of a person or group of people. They can be the birth of a new child, the loss of a loved one, the loss of a job or a change of address to another city or country.

In some cases, the person experiencing this radical change in her life may again need the support of his family, who will know how to accompany and support him in his therapeutic process until his Recovery. But many times families do not have the necessary knowledge to do so, or else all their members are going through these adaptation problems at the same time.

6. traumatic experiences

Some traumatic experiences, especially those that have been experienced by all or most family members, they can also be one of the problems for which it is convenient to go to family therapy.

These experiences can be traffic accidents, natural disasters, violent situations, or the death of a loved one, and in these cases It is of great help that all the affected relatives support each other and exert a common therapeutic effect and directed to each one of the members of the family. family.

7. negative parenting models

Excessively permissive or harsh parenting models exercised by parents are often another of the causes for which negative dynamics are generated within the family, both emotionally and emotionally. behavioral.

The work of the psychologist in these cases is to work on new, more positive behavior models in the parents and also training in educational strategies with which to channel relationships between parents and children and between the family as a whole.

• Related article: "The 4 educational styles: how do you educate your children?"

8. Conflicts due to psychosocial problems that affect children

Some conflicts outside the family that children may have are also one of the unequivocal signs that it is necessary to start a family psychological intervention process.

Some of these conflicts can be problems with friends who are seen as a bad influence, bullying problems at school, etc. Although these kinds of experiences can be addressed in individualized psychotherapy, it is common for discussions to arise in the family context because several family members they have opposing views on how to deal with such cases.

9. Loss of contact with children

Sometimes, the routine and generational differences between parents and children means that, over the years, an emotional distance is created, something that happens especially when the latter are adolescents or young adults.

The loss of contact between parents and children is often the root of many of the conflicts and forms of discomfort that affects both, since they feel that they do not have the emotional support of someone important to they.