Dysfunctional family relationships can make your home life unbearable. Perhaps, you feel like you’re living on a battlefield. Or, maybe you have a family member who suffers from a mental illness and the symptoms are negatively affecting your entire family. Perhaps, you’re all adults and living on your own, but memories of the past keep your family from leading healthy relationships.
Dysfunctional family relationships are cyclical. This means there is no single person to blame. Instead, every action impacts each future action. Healthy family dynamics are possible when each person takes responsibility for their own actions and how they contribute to the cycle. Family therapy will help you understand what’s causing conflict in your family. But, most importantly, family therapy can teach everyone the tools to improve and stop dysfunctional family patterns.
Reasons to Consider Family Therapy in Rockville, MD
There are LOTS of reasons why people should seek family therapy. Most people don’t because they’re afraid of what will happen in the counseling sessions. But, the reality is that counseling can help you create sustainable change.
Here is a list of reasons why your family may benefit from family therapy.
Chronic illness (psychical or mental) is impacting the family dynamic- Family members are struggling to adjust to a recent change
- Unhealthy intergenerational patterns need to be interrupted
- Sweeping problems under the rug has led to unsatisfying relationships
- Constant conflict has led to distant relationships
- Overemphasis on the connection at the expense of individuality has led to codependence
- An individual therapist has recommended family therapy
Several myths make family therapy seem more intimidating than it is. Read more about debunking myths about family therapy before you being!
Family Therapy for Adults
You don’t HAVE to have a child or teenager to do family therapy. Many adults come to family therapy with their adult children and/or their adult siblings. Relationships deserve healing no matter the age of the family members. Our family therapists consider developmentally appropriate and relationally appropriate dynamics for all family clients.
What to Expect When You Begin Family Therapy at Montgomery County Counseling Center
A Phone Consultation Before You Start Family Therapy
When you first contact us to begin family therapy, we will offer you a free phone consultation. This will be brief, general, and objective. We don’t go into much detail over the phone because your family therapist needs to hear what every family member has to say. Allowing every family member to explain what they believe to be the problem helps This build an equal rapport between the therapist and all family members.
An Assessment During Your First Family Therapy Session
A first family therapy session is a two-way interview. Your family therapist will assess the dynamic to ensure that family therapy is appropriate. Check out these reasons why we may rule-out family therapy.
During that first session, you should expect that your therapist may not step in right away if an argument breaks out. This is because they will want to see what happens naturally. At the end of that first session, your family therapist will combine your goals for family therapy along with goals they have identified from their professional observations.
After your first session, it is important that you go home and discuss collectively if everyone feels comfortable proceeding with family therapy. Think about both your comfort with the therapist as well as their ability to offer the type of help you came here for!
Then the Family Therapy Work Actually Begins
Once family therapy begins, your family therapist will help you learn communication skills, conflict management techniques, and behavioral change skills. The goal of family therapy is to increase connection and empathy amongst everyone while also creating healthier age- and relationship-appropriate boundaries.
Read more about what to expect in family therapy.
Often times in family therapy we use worksheets, activities, and games to promote engagement and learning. Depending on your family’s goals and ages, your therapist will tailor treatment to both teach you what would be most helpful and offer you opportunities to practice these skills during your session.
Your family therapist may also help look at what other obstacles get in the way of healthy family dynamics. Your family therapist is there to heal the entire relationship. If the couple’s relationship and/or an individual’s mental health are key links in the chain of dysfunctional family patterns, your therapist will recommend concurrent support. Healing is cyclical. Every aspect of dysfunction has to be healed for true and lasting change to occur. So, family therapy is often a KEY part of healing, but rarely the ONLY part!
What Our Clients Have Said About Family Therapy in Rockville, MD
When we started, our daughter was on a potentially life-threatening path of self destruction, terribly unhappy, and were were all overwhelmed. I was terrified. We weren’t coping with the situation effectively and our communications were fraught, to say the least. We learned how to communicate effectively and have come out the other side appreciating our family and each other. This is an incalculably valuable outcome. Our daughter is able to cope much better with challenges and we all are not mired in blame, anxiety and distress. I’m more calm and confident that things can work out. You were extremely insightful about our family dynamics, unflappable and kind. The suggestions remain helpful today. I think we know ourselves better and have really changed for the better. I will be forever grateful for your help.
-Parents in family therapy with their teenager
You were very personable from the first day and I always felt that you helped me express my thoughts in an articulate way. I also felt that you really understood me and supported me through some difficult but necessary conversations with my parents.
-Young adult in family therapy with their parents
Begin Family Therapy in Rockville, MD or Olney, MD
There is no perfect time to start to improve your family dynamics. It often feels overwhelming to start. Your family can coexist more peacefully soon! To begin counseling in Rockville, MD or Olney MD, follow these steps:
- Contact Montgomery County Counseling Center
- Meet with one of our skilled family therapists
- Start helping your family today!
Other Therapy Services offered at MCCC:
Montgomery County Counseling Center offers a variety of therapy services in Rockville, MD which is near Washington DC, and Olney MD which is near Howard County. We help you change your behaviors to live the life you want! Our counseling services include child therapy, teen therapy, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), parent coaching, teen therapy, adult therapy, and couples counseling. Our sister company offers an online parenting class for parents of struggling tweens and teens. Also, some of our therapists offer supervision opportunities for mental health professionals seeking their professional license. All our services are accessible both in-person or via online therapy in Maryland or Washington DC. Reach out to our therapy clinic to learn more about the many ways we can help you or your family heal and thrive.
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