In Huntington Beach Family Therapy Has Benefited Numerous People

By Cynthia Ross


Modern families are under tremendous pressure. Many families become dysfunctional because parents do not have time to spend quality time with each other and their children. Everybody seems to be in a rush all the time. Children are often left to their own devices or left in the care of others. It is no wonder that so many families live diverging lives, everyone doing his own thing. Huntington Beach family therapy can help families to examine their priorities and to become close once more.

Bitter and acrimonious divorces are a major cause of dysfunctional families. Constant conflict upset everyone, especially the children. They may be made to feel as if they need to take sides and this can cause much stress and anxiety. Children in such situations often feel insecure and they may start developing behavioral problems. Counseling can definitely help both the parents and the children in such situations.

Children are also experience high levels of stress. They are expected to do well at everything and they are often subjected to tremendous peer pressure. Busy parents are often not aware of the fact that their children are unhappy and that they struggle to cope with all the demands made of them. Such children are in danger of becoming adrift. A therapist can be extremely useful in helping families to become more supportive and in tune with the needs of each other.

Substance abuse is another major factor that causes families to become dysfunctional. When one member of the family abuses substances, all the other members suffer as a consequence. In many cases it is not just the addicted member that needs help, but the entire family. Substance abuse often goes hand in hand with physical and emotional abuse and the entire family needs to be involved in the process.

Therapists often find it difficult to council entire families. If only one member is unwilling to be part of the process, nobody can make progress. Therapists will therefore often have one on one sessions with every member of the family before they start seeing them as a group. Every member must understand that he has a vital role to play in helping to ensure the happiness and stability of the whole family.

It is sometimes difficult to find a therapist that will be able to instill trust in every member. Many therapists specialize in very specific areas and it is necessary to find one that has dealt with similar situations before. No reputable therapist will take on a case if he is not experienced in dealing with the circumstances in question. In such cases he will rather refer the clients to someone trusted that is experienced.

Families need to accept the fact that no therapist has ready made solutions and that their problems will be resolved within a few counseling sessions. This is not the case. It may take some time and many sessions before real progress can be made. It is also not the role of the therapist to offer solutions. His role is to act as guide and facilitator, leading his clients toward finding solutions for themselves.

Families are the cornerstone of any healthy society. When families become dysfunctional, the entire society suffers. Therapists can certainly help families in trouble to find real solutions and to become mutually supporting, loving and happy once more.




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