Family Therapy
David Anderson, founder of Wichita OCD Center, provides family therapy for adults, teens and children in Wichita, Kansas. David is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and Registered Play Therapist. Learn more about David.
What Is Family Therapy?
Family therapy is counseling, therapy or psychotherapy in which a trained therapist works with an entire family unit at once. Members of a family meet together with their counselor to address ongoing issues and discover ways to function better as a unit.
The goal of therapy is to work together to heal the family unit by openly addressing the issues unique to each family’s dynamic. Exploring behaviors, patterns, and conflicts via therapy helps to create a more cohesive family unit.
Each member of a family plays a vital role in how a family functions, and therapy can help individuals relate better to one another. Family Therapy explores current problems facing the family as well as generational patterns taking place in the context of the present.
When Is Family Therapy Used?
Family therapy is used to address issues that impact the way a family functions and it’s applicable for both nuclear and blended families. In some cases, families may choose to seek therapy when facing some of life’s inevitable difficulties, such as death, divorce, or crisis. Blended families can also benefit from family therapy as they assimilate into a newly formed unit and explore each person’s new bonds and roles.
Additionally, if one member of a family is dealing with mental health issues such as addiction, depression, or anxiety, it can be beneficial for the family to meet together as a whole. This provides an opportunity for open discussion on how these diagnoses affect the family and how members can best provide support for each other in light of such issues.
What to Expect From Family Therapy
A family can expect to spend sessions in a safe, non-judgmental and open environment with the therapist. Expressing thoughts and feelings can uncover and heal years of unresolved conflict, giving each individual in the family new tools to express themselves in fair and effective ways.
In the initial meeting, the therapist works with the family members to identify the issues they wish to work on throughout therapy. During this time, they will also set goals and agree on the frequency and duration of each visit or session.
How Does Family Therapy Work?
In family therapy, each family member explores issues and resolves conflicts through honest communication. By exploring the individual personalities, communication styles, and experiences of each family member, a bigger picture emerges of how the overall family unit functions. Things like birth order, archetypes, and coping mechanisms impact how each member contributes to the family as a whole. By exploring the roles each member plays and the dynamics that make each family unique, a better functioning home environment can be nurtured.
As part of therapy, family members my engage in exercises such as communicating differently with new approaches. For example, parents may learn to practice delegating tasks and creating healthier boundaries and expectations.
Request a Family Therapy Appointment
To schedule a family therapy appointment with David Anderson, please submit your request online and we’ll follow up with you as soon as possible.
