Family Therapy: It is Never Too Late
Family therapy is a type of psychological counseling that assists families in enhancing their communication, resolving their issues, and fostering their connections. It can be beneficial for any family that wants to overcome difficulties or improve their relationships. However, it is particularly useful for those couples who are ready to modify themselves and their interactions if they are unhappy with their current situation.
Many people turn to family therapy when they are close to breaking up or divorcing, hoping to preserve their marriage or partnership. This is reasonable, but it is not the best situation. Family therapy can be more successful if the couples seek help sooner before their problems become too serious or deep-rooted. This does not imply that family therapy is futile for those who seek help later. It just implies that it will take more time and effort to achieve positive results.
And, not everyone is ready to go deep. Some people may have been hurt or offended in the past, and they have learned to protect themselves. They may see the therapist as a stranger who cannot be trusted. Therefore, family therapists recommends that they come at least one more time to experience and appreciate the changes. Sometimes, real transformation starts after 5 or 7 sessions. The same thing applies to couples. They may have one issue on the surface, but when they dig deeper, they realize that they need more than a compromise. They need support, honesty, and emotional expression. They may discover that it is not their partner who does not understand them, but they themselves who do not know what they want from their partner. And even if they know what they want, their partner may not be able to give it to them, due to their own limitations or reasons. And then they have to look for other ways and options.
What I like most about family therapy is that the couples come closer to each other. The fact that they come to the therapist shows that they want to stay together and solve their problems. Breaking up is the easy way out. But trying to find a solution, changing oneself, and noticing the partner’s changes is the mature way. Otherwise, they can keep floating on the surface without diving into the depths.