Using drugs and alcohol doesn’t only affect you. Your family suffers alongside you. Bringing in those closest during rehab is a significant step toward healing. What is family therapy and how can it help you when your relatives are part of your triggers?
What is the Purpose of Family Therapy?
Interestingly, family therapy isn’t a time for everyone to bring to light their grievances. Therapists discourage this type of behavior early on. It’s also not an opportunity to fix everyone. For example, if Uncle Carl annoyed you before therapy, he’ll continue to do so afterward.
Instead, it’s a chance to harness the strengths the family unit possesses as a whole. In the process, therapists teach individuals self-care they can use when living with someone struggling with addiction. Additionally, it gives counselors insight into the situations you’re dealing with, which helps them decide on effective treatment plans. These family therapy sessions may take place as a group or in a small setting.
Benefits of Family Therapy
What is family therapy like during the typical addiction treatment program? If you’re dealing with codependency issues – yours or a family member’s – a therapist will help you cope with this. When there are communication problems, family therapy can help restart the process. Overall, opening the dialog is instrumental in your and your family’s healing.
But there are times when more structure is necessary. When there are multiple layers of dysfunction in your interactions, structural family therapy is often the right approach. Goals include the development of a functional hierarchy and boundary system. Overall, this method uses addiction treatment as a catalyst for producing change.
What is family therapy if not an opportunity to interact with others with a counselor’s assistance? It may seem a bit odd at first to involve these professionals in your conversation. However, doing so is vital. In fact, a therapist may ask for specific discussions to gauge a need for intervention and reinforcement.
Family Therapy in Scottsdale, Arizona
If you’ve been following our rehab blog, you may have read about the family systems model. For example, our Arizona addiction treatment therapists consider substance use a sign of dysfunction within the family unit. Members of the family work together to uncover dysfunction and then collaborate to overcome it. The therapist guides communication and helps with complex conversations.
However, this facet of addiction treatment is only one aspect. For whole-person healing during recovery, it’s vital not to neglect your addiction. Some examples include:
- Individual talk therapy
- Group therapy
- Dual diagnosis treatment
- Holistic treatment options (yoga, fitness, meditation)
Find out today how recovery can help heal your entire family. The compassionate therapists at Pinnacle Peak Recovery will guide you along the way. To speak with an intake counselor today, call us at 866-377-4761.