Christian Family Counseling: What to Expect and How it Helps

When we entered this world at birth, we entered a family system. Though many families look different in terms of who are the people who make up that family unit, some things are common across different types of families. Being part of a family means you have a group of people to whom you are tied. Family counseling can help keep those ties strong.

Families are viewed as a system in the counseling and psychological world. This means that a family can be affected by the behavior or trouble of one or more people because everyone is interconnected. Though people can lead independent lives, being part of a family means that individual members can contribute to their well-being and /or sometimes to their troubles.

Family counseling is a type of psychotherapy that is conducted by a trained professional whose aim is to help families resolve any conflicts they might have or help enhance general family functioning. Family counselors proved a safe and supportive space for families to improve their communication and listen to each other for the sake of building and maintaining their relationships,

Family counseling is usually short-term, which means it can be about twelve weeks and can involve everyone in the family coming for sessions or just those who are willing and able. Counseling for families can be a result of many different life issues. The following are some examples of what family counselors help families with:

• Grief.
• Trauma.
• Divorce or separation of parents.
• Re-marriage.
• Adoption and fostering.
• Mental or Physical health issues of a family member.
• Problematic behavior of an individual member of the family.
• Major life changes like relocation.
• Dealing with crises.
• Sibling rivalry.
• Family conflicts.
• Parenting issues.
• Marital problems.

How does Christian family counseling help?

There are many benefits to seeking the help of a professional when your family is going through a difficult season or simply needs a space to communicate with each other effectively. Below are some of the advantages of family counseling

• No matter or family member’s age or station in life, each of them is allowed to be heard.
• Each member is supported through a difficult season that the family might be facing.
• Depending on the situation, families are provided with strategic tools and skills to handle the challenges they have encountered.
• Family counseling deepens connections as each voice is heard and communication improves.
• The family counselor provides an outsider’s voice which can bring clarity to the family’s and individual’s beliefs, needs, values, and assumptions about relationship building.

What to expect

The thought of going to family counseling can be daunting if one does not know what to expect. To help ease fears and apprehensions, below are some of the things families can expect at family counseling sessions:

Commitment.

For the counseling sessions to be effective, each member of the family that can attend needs to commit to coming to sessions.

Assessments.

The family counselor will carry out assessments of the family as a whole and also individual members to see what their patterns are and come up with a treatment plan for what they are going through

Homework and assignments.

Sessions are short, sometimes 60-90 minutes. This means that there is a lot of work that families will need to do outside the counseling rooms to strengthen what they have heard and learned. Members will be periodically given homework and assignments to do, either as individuals or as a family

Open and frank dialogue.

Depending on the structure of the family, open dialogue might be something that was not present. In counseling sessions, the family counselor will facilitate each member to speak as honestly and as openly as possible. This might not be easy for both those sharing and those listening, but it is an important part of the process.

Conflict resolution.

In the presence of a professional who is qualified to facilitate productive and honest discussions that address conflicts in the family, individuals can expect to find resolutions and common ground to some of their pressing issues.

Feedback.

Family counselors during sessions will also observe how individual members communicate, listen, or relate to each other to offer feedback about their family dynamics. This can be insightful in that it shows you what your strengths and weaknesses are as individuals and as a unit.

Closure and follow-ups.

At the end of the family sessions, the family counselor will provide space for closure and evaluation of the whole process. This will also indicate whether there is a need for further support or referral for individuals who might need personal counseling. Counseling will end with the promise of a follow-up just to assess progress.

Next steps

At Los Angeles Christian Counseling, we are here to help families. If your family needs our assistance, please contact us at Los Angeles Christian Counseling today. We will provide you with all the information you need to see if this is for you and your family at this time.