Georgia Family Crisis Solutions

Families can be torn apart by illness, divorce or other problems that create conflict and stress. Family
therapy can help families identify and resolve problems. Your family can be your greatest source of
support, comfort and love. But it can also be your greatest source of pain and grief. A health crisis,
mental illness, work problems or teenage rebellion may threaten to tear your family apart.

Family therapy can help your family weather such storms. Family therapy can help patch strained
relationships, teach new coping skills and improve how your family works together. Whether it's you,
your partner, a child or even a sibling or parent who's in crisis, family therapy can help all of you
communicate better and learn to get along.

What is family therapy?
Family therapy is a type of psychotherapy. It helps families or individuals within a family understand
and improve the way family members interact with each other and resolve conflicts.

Family therapy is usually provided by therapists known as marriage and family therapists. These
therapists provide the same mental health services as other therapists, simply with a specific focus —
family relationships.

Family therapy is often short term. You usually attend one session a week, typically for three to five
months. In some cases, though, families may need more intensive treatment. The treatment plan will
depend on your family's specific situation.

Who can benefit from family therapy?
In general, anyone who wants to improve troubled relationships can benefit from family therapy.
Family therapy can help with such issues as:

Marital problems
Divorce
Eating disorders, such as anorexia or bulimia
Substance abuse
Depression or bipolar disorder
Chronic health problems, such as asthma or cancer
Grief, loss and trauma
Work stress
Parenting skills
Emotional abuse or violence
Financial problems

Your family may do family therapy along with other types of mental health treatment, especially if one
of you has a serious mental illness that also requires intense individual therapy. Family therapy isn't a
substitute for other necessary treatments. For instance, family therapy can help family members cope
if a relative has schizophrenia. But the person with schizophrenia should continue with his or her
individualized treatment plan, such as medication and possibly hospitalization.

In some cases, family therapy may be ordered by the legal system. Adolescents in trouble with the law
may be ordered into family therapy rather than serving jail time, for instance. Violent or abusive
parents are sometimes spared jail if they enter family therapy. Divorcing couples may also be required
to attend family therapy.

How does family therapy work?
Family therapy often brings entire families together in therapy sessions. However, family members
may also see a family therapist individually. Family therapy can even include nonfamily members, such
as teachers, other health care providers or representatives of social services agencies.

Working with a family therapist, you and your family will examine your family's ability to solve
problems and express thoughts and emotions. You may explore family roles, rules and behavior
patterns in order to spot issues that contribute to conflict. Family therapy may help you identify your
family's strengths, such as caring for one another, and weaknesses, such as an inability to confide in
one other.

For example, say that your adult son has depression. Your family may not understand the roots of his
depression or how best to offer help. Although you're worried about your son's health, you have such
deep-seated family conflicts that conversations ultimately erupt into arguments. You're left with hurt
feelings, decisions go unmade, and the rift grows wider.

Family therapy can help you pinpoint your specific concerns and assess how your family is handling
them. Guided by your therapist, you'll learn new ways to interact and overcome old problems. You'll
set individual and family goals and work on ways to achieve them. In the end, your son may be better
equipped to cope with his depression, you'll understand his needs better, and you, your partner and
your son may all get along better.

How do you choose a family therapist?
Like other psychotherapists, family therapists are licensed mental health professionals. Although
different states have different licensing or credentialing requirements, most states require advanced
training, including a master's or doctoral degree, graduate training in marriage and family therapy, and
training under the supervision of other experts. Most family therapists work in private practice. But they
may also work in clinics, mental health centers, hospitals and government agencies.

Family and friends also may give you recommendations based on their experiences. Your health
insurer, employee assistance program, clergy, or state or local agencies also may offer
recommendations.

Georgia Family Crisis Solutions Counseling Center offers excellent Family Therapy by Professional
Counselors who are trained and experienced in this area.