What is a Marriage and Family Therapist?

There is no shortage of problems families face. Whether they are alone or have kids to take care of, every relationship has its own problems. That said, there are several universal problems that families and couples experience throughout their relationships. Dealing with those problems isn’t easy by any means – sometimes, it’s almost impossible to tackle them on your own. That is where marriage and family therapists come in handy. 

What do they do?

Marriage and family therapists help people deal with their interpersonal issues and overcome them to create healthier relationships. They use therapeutic techniques to work with their clients and facilitate their problems. These therapists assess family dynamics through various psychological assessment techniques within the unique family context.

The services they offer

Besides basic assessment and diagnosis, marriage and family therapists offer various counseling and therapy services. These include, but are not limited to, relationship counseling, child counseling, divorce counseling, and family therapy. Depending on the problem and the particular technique used, the therapist may treat members of the family or couple individually or in groups.

What areas do they tackle?

Contrary to popular belief, marriage and family therapists don’t just focus on your relationships within the family. The most serious issues may include marital issues, depression, anxiety, and twisted family dynamics. That’s not all, though. The idea behind their therapies is to focus on the client’s interpersonal relationships holistically. Clients overcome the problems in their relationship, and their overall emotional health, social lives, and physical health can also improve.

Therapies used

There are countless problems an individual can experience as a social being. No one can expect life’s twists and trunks, so it’s only natural that you face issues along the way. Marriage and family therapists will help you navigate through those problems and learn to deal with the emotional distress they may cause. Here are some common techniques they use: Family systems theory, Gottman principles and cognitive behavioural therapy. Therapist have many tools that they use to identify and treat the issues you may present.

Relationship counseling

These involve one-on-one or couple therapy, in which the therapist acts as a mediator between the couple. The goal is to enhance the communication skills between the couple so they can learn to solve their problems independently. Therapists help clients open their minds to other sides of the story and remember to be more compassionate and understanding.

Psychological diagnosis counseling

When a family member or a partner is going through a distressing diagnosis, the family takes the toll as well. Family therapists diagnose the individual and help the family and partner work through their complicated emotional pain. The idea is to make the healing process easier for both the affected individual and the concerned family members as well.

Group therapies

Sometimes, family issues are deep-rooted, so individual therapy is not too effective. In such cases, a family therapist may turn to group therapies, in which the therapist interviews and creates a rapport between the concerned family members simultaneously. This also gives the therapist a unique insight into the family dynamic essential for prognosis.

All in all, marriage and family therapists attempt to smooth over relationships and improve communication and coordination within the concerned individuals.

Healing and transformation in your family unit is possible. You don’t have to figure things out on your own. Contact your marriage and family therapist today to get started.