When it comes to family therapy, we can look at family members as though they are parts of an intricate Swiss watch. Why a Swiss watch? Because, when properly produced, these watches are considered by many to be the best in the world. Similarly to a beautifully functioning watch with many parts, when your family is operating cohesively, it is also the best it can be.
Even with the finest watches in the world, sometimes something goes wrong and the entire watch needs an adjustment to make it run at its best again. The same is true with the family. When something goes wrong, family therapy can be needed to make the unit function well again.
The truth is that struggles with mental health and dependency on meds affect the entire family. This is why the entire family can benefit from treatment. We here at Clearview Girls Academy don’t just focus on individual therapy for our students while they are in our care. We also focus on family therapy. This approach can help not just the entire family, but also better serves our students once they leave our recovery center.
What Exactly Is Family Therapy?
While the term “family therapy” seems rather straightforward, there are some variations and intricacies that many people may not know or understand. For example, family therapy does not always involve the whole family at the same time. An example of this might be family cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Therapists who employ family CBT often give each member a task or “homework.” That way, they can identify their thoughts and feeling and bring them to the group. That family member then receives their own individual therapeutic help.
However, the family therapy we offer here at Clearview Girls Academy often falls under the category of “supportive family therapy.” Supportive family therapy is when an individual family member is creating a problem that is affecting the entire family unit. Often it is the daughter’s behavior that is creating a rift within the entire family. While it is our job to treat the child first, it also becomes our job to treat the entire family once that child is ready to participate in family therapy.
How Can Family Therapy Help?
It is important to understand that mental illness and substance use do not just affect the individual but they can negatively affect the entire family. This is why many people refer to issues of mental health as a “family disease.”
If we are to believe that mental illness is a family disease (which, for the record, we here at Clearview Girls Academy do), then we need to treat it with a “family solution.” That solution can often be achieved through rigorous and regular family therapy.
One major problem mental illness can cause in family life is the breakdown of communication. This is why family therapy can be so helpful. It can open up that communication again. When communication happens, understanding occurs. When understanding happens, family reunification isn’t far behind.
Understanding the Benefits of Family Therapy Once Your Child Comes Home
The truth is that recovery is rarely “one-and-done.” In fact, we would argue that recovery should never be considered completed. Recovery is all about growth. This includes family growth.
Of course, family therapy is not required after your child leaves our facility. We have no authority over what you do as a family. However, we feel that once you see how well your daughter is doing with her own therapy, you will want to do everything you can to continue that progress. One of the ways to do this is through continued family therapy.
We also offer educational services that help your family remain strong. Once your daughter is showing improvement in her personal recovery journey, we offer family workshops on weekends that can help you start your family’s healing journey before she even leaves.
Family Therapy for Long-Term Recovery
We often remind our students that the recovery finish line is merely an illusion. Besides, what fun is a finish line in recovery? It only serves to stop positive forward momentum. That growth and forward momentum are what life is all about. The positive anticipation of what comes next is truly life’s sweet spot.
The family deserves the same kind of joyful growth they have given their struggling family member. When a family is functioning as a cohesive, joyful unit, everyone’s life is better.
Life is about the journey. Our job is to light the path of recovery on that journey. And, rest assured that we not only have enough light for our students but for their entire families as well. Our goal is to help ensure your family unit continues to operate at its finest.
Family therapy should not be viewed as a burden. Rather, it should be seen as a way to strengthen your relationship with your daughter. Recovery is about more than the individual; it is about the entire family. That is because issues of mental health – and especially substance us – affect the entire family. Drinking and self-medicating is widely considered by many in the recovery realm to be a “family disease.” This is why the family deserves to get the attention and care they need to learn and grow from their experiences. Family therapy can be a pivotal part of this growth because recovery is about more than a moment. It is about the journey. Call Clearview Girls Academy at (888) 796-5484 for more information.
