Family therapy is used to help families discover the pieces of their family culture and style that work effectively and those which do not. In family therapy, MindWell clinicians help families recognize patterns of conflict and power struggles and work with them to develop improved communication and problem solving skills. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with of our family therapists.
Case Example
The Statsen family was referred to therapy by their school counselor after their 15-year-old adolescent son reported to his teacher, “I didn’t study for my exam because my family was fighting all night and I couldn’t think, so I went to bed.” The Statsen family is comprised of mom and dad and four children. They have been experiencing challenges recently because Mr. Statsen was laid off and Mrs. Statsen is now working late hours to supplement income. The children are angry because she is not at home and dad is “always angry”.
The MindWell clinician worked with this family to help them communicate their feelings to each other about the lay off and the challenges they have faced financially.
The family had never engaged at this level and greatly benefited from opening up and developing empathy for each other. This included role play and how different roles have impacted their views of each other.
They negotiated a plan to meet as a family on Sunday nights to discuss what they might expect for the week ahead and how each may help get driving schedules coordinated, dinner on the table, and how to support the overall needs of the family.
Mr. and Mrs. Statsen work together in negotiating their new roles and how they can find it productive for the family.
Parent Coaching
As parents, MindWell clinicians can empathize with their clients’ joys of parenting and the challenges of the difficult days, often intertwined in one. We provide a safe environment for parents to explore their difficulties and be able to ask questions about the challenges of parenting. We work with parents to develop an understanding of the issues and work to develop a plan of action. We will help you manage your child’s behavior more effectively by teaching you strategies to increase positive interactions and avoiding ineffective use of time outs, regretful words spoken in anger, and overuse of restrictions. At times, parent consultations may result in a recommendation for family therapy, couples therapy, adult individual therapy or for the child to enter treatment.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation with a MindWell family therapist.