What can family therapists help with?

Most people think of family therapy when they are having issues with things such as blended families, boundaries or substance abuse that obviously affects the entire family unit. However, family therapy is good for more than just family dynamics. Family therapy can help with issues that seem to only affect a single family member such as mental illness, stress or gender identity. Family therapists can also work on things that affect the entire family such as substance abuse, couples counseling, dealing with emotional or physical abuse, or helping to improve communication.

Who performs this type of therapy?

Family therapy can be provided by people with a variety of licenses, however Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT) are trained their entire career to work with families. A Marriage and Family therapist has a minimum of a masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. This type of therapist will also have completed an internship while supervised by another therapist for a year during school.

An Independent Marriage and Family Therapist in Ohio will have completed an additional 200 hours of supervision and 1000 hours of therapy after receiving their initial license. At least half of those hours must be with families, couples, or people in some form of relationship together in the therapy session. As you can see, these relationship therapists are highly trained.

How do I choose a good family therapist?

A good family therapist will be comfortable working with all of the family members in the therapy room, or just one or

two as needed. They will have a good understanding in how to conduct family counseling, marriage counseling and provide individual psychotherapy. As mentioned above a good therapist is highly trained. They will also have training and experience in dealing with the issues that are affecting your family members such as trauma, depression, self esteem issues, life transitions, life stressors, conflict, anxiety and any other concerns that you may have. They will also be able to work with the age groups needed in your family or relationships. For instance, a therapist who sees only individual adults is unlikely to be well versed in couple’s therapy. If you have adolescents or children, then the counselor will need to be good at working with them as well.

Is family therapy only for mental health issues?

While family therapy is great for working on mental health issues, it can also help address difficulties in other areas. Family therapy can help create positive changes in relationships within the family, with friends, or even coworkers. Many people will see a life coach for problems that are not related to mental illness, however, a marriage and family therapist can help you get to the root of problems and are skilled at working out issues in relationships and communication.

How can a family therapy help me with my relationships?

Family therapists can help you work on any relationship you have issues with. It can be relationship issues in a marriage, issues with blended families, non monogamy issues, issues with a specific family member or family counseling for the entire family. Family counseling can help with these relationships by working on many different types of issues that we encounter in a relationship and everyday lives; including understanding how to communicate about emotional issues, how to give and receive emotional support, how to talk about tough topics, how agree on methods to parent children, handling adolescents, returning passion to a relationship, and other issues that leave someone with stress and in need of healing. Family counseling can also help you find support and hope in times of stress and relationship conflict.

Can family therapy help with trauma?

If you have a difficult experience in your past, family therapy can help. Families can either help us with our healing, or they can (sometimes accidentally) get in the way. Bringing the whole family or your significant other in for counseling with you can provide you with the support you need and help them understand your symptoms.

Trauma can also be dealt with using EMDR while a significant other or family member is in the room to help provide support and understanding. We help your family members understand how to help you take your life back.

What are some benefits of family therapy?

Family therapy can benefit your family and your relationship, and it can also benefit you as an individual. It not only increases communication, conflict and relationship skills, but can also help in many other areas. You can learn what things have been passed down to you from your parents, and how those things will affect you in the future. You can identify your expectations and concerns and weather those are realistic or if a reality check can help make needed changes. You can process trauma and difficult emotions. You can learn how self care helps with emotional stability and gives you a better life. Your counselor can help you determine if you want to continue in a relationship or if you want to break up. And if you want to break up, how to communicate well in order to make things easier on your families and on your life.

Can I do family therapy as online therapy or only in-person therapy?

Many types of counseling work as well using as online therapy as they do in the office. Yvonne Judge (family therapist, Columbus, Ohio) has worked with many families, couples and individuals to do online therapy using a variety of video conferencing methods. Yvonne states, “I feel that online therapy can be just as effective as in-person therapy because people are learning skills in the environment where they will use them, their homes.”

Ms. Judge’s office in Worthington (a suburb of Columbus, Oh) provides video counseling to clients in central Ohio as well as those located in the entire state of Ohio. She says, “I feel that online therapy helps to bring family counseling to many areas throughout not only central Ohio, but also many rural areas in the state. Some areas do not have many people who practice family therapy or couples counseling, if any. Before I started offering video sessions, I routinely had clients that would drive 1-2 hours for an in-office marriage counseling or family therapy session. I have had clients come from as far away as Portsmouth, Ohio and Cleveland, Ohio to visit our Columbus, Ohio office. ”

While there are many therapists in Columbus, Ohio who do in-person sessions she also states, “Some people really like the video sessions. They can fit them in around their work schedule, or don’t need a babysitter for their smallest children if coming to family therapy via telehealth.” She finds that telehealth sessions can also be the preferred method for people with depression or who want to work on a traumatic experience.

Need in office family counseling in Columbus, Oh?

If you need family counseling in Columbus we can help! Contact us to get help from a counselor in our Columbus, Ohio office who can meet with your family in our office to get you living your best lives ASAP! We would love to talk to you about how our process can help your family have a brighter future. Let’s get you scheduled for your first appointment as soon as possible in our Columbus, Oh office. Contact us today.

What does a family counseling session look like?

Usually the first session of family counseling involves the entire family. The therapist meets with the family as a group to understand how each member views family problems and what the goals are as a group. In later sessions the therapist may meet with family members one at a time to get their perspective on things. During sessions the therapist will use a therapy model such as Emotionally Focused Family Therapy, Structural Family Therapy, Strategic Therapy or Solution Focused Therapy to work with the family members and help them improve communication, boundaries, interactions, behavior patterns and understanding for each other.

How do I know that family therapy can help our family?

There are many signs that your family can benefit from family therapy. The biggest sign is that your family is experiencing a problem that counseling can help with. The list below is not exhaustive. If you would like to know if a counselor can help with the issues your family is facing, reach out to us and we are happy to answer your questions.

• Communication problems
• Life changes
• Mental health issues
• Domestic Violence
• Lying
• Experiencing traumatic events
• Avoiding each other
• Substance abuse
• Sibling rivalry
• Co-parenting issues

How do I book a session?

If you are in or near Columbus, OH office we offer in person sessions in our Columbus office. We have evening and weekend hours available. If you are remote, or would just like a video counseling session we also offer telehealth appointments. You do not have to be in Columbus, OH to see us, we are licensed to provide services throughout the entire state of Ohio. For more information, reach out to us today!