The Purpose and Benefits of Seeing a Family Therapist
Our generation is living in unprecedented times. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you if you are finding life truly challenging at the moment. As the novel coronavirus continues to threaten our health and force us to stay in our homes, previously suppressed issues might be boiling over under pressure. This is not entirely unexpected, as we are isolated from the outside world and forced to spend extended time with our household while under immense pressure. This could, of course, also be a great time for introspection and to rebuild connections and relationships with the help of a therapist.
What is the purpose of a family therapist?
There can be many different reasons for a family to seek counselling from a therapist. In short, the purpose of these sessions is usually to find some sort of solution by working through challenges, grief, or struggles experienced by members of the household or the unit as a whole. The aim of the therapist is not to simply make the problem in question go away, but to rather resolve it in a way that makes the family stronger and helps the relationships to grow in a healthy and supportive way.
How do these therapy sessions help?
An unresolved issue can lead to stress and other complications, which could eventually affect a number of aspects of everyday life, including relationships with other people and school and work performance. A family therapist can help members of the household communicate better, listen and understand each other, build respect, and discover new ways to manage conflict and challenges.
Some of the issues, challenges, and scenarios that can be addressed in these sessions include the following:
- The mental illness of a family member.
- Health issues or death in the family.
- Caring for and living with someone with special needs.
- Dealing with substance abuse or addiction.
- Conflict between two or more members of the household.
- Behavioural problems in children.
- Problems in school.
- Financial issues.
- Adultery.
- Separation or divorce.
- Planning the shared custody of children.
Don’t wait until after the lockdown ends – start improving your home life today. If you think your family can benefit from seeing a therapist, contact Dr Tienie Maritz in Pretoria. Dr Maritz is a highly qualified psychologist with more than 24 years’ experience in his field – and he currently offers his services online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a stressful time for all of us but your household can overcome it and emerge stronger than ever.
