Never Attended Counseling Before?
Family counseling can be somewhat challenging, not only for the family members but for the counselor too. Counseling one individual that has a strong personality can be demanding enough; adding multiple people to the same session can easily become difficult to manage. Such is the case with family units looking for mental health services, whether as couples, new parents, or families that have sibling conflict.
Don’t take sides
Counselors must be the leader in the room, especially with family sessions, this can come under assault from every angle. Even an ethical action can be mistaken by one family member as an error. This is why counselors need to walk a fine line when dealing with families, as they are often the ones that act as conduits to such interactions. Consider if one family member complains about another, and the counselor follows up with a question that can be mistaken as being supportive to another family member, this could be detrimental to the entire session.
Get families to say why they want counseling
Some families see counseling as a last resort, as they are unable to admit to marital or family faults. However, in order for progress to be made once the session has started, families must state what the problem is. Vocalizing problems is not easy, however, counselors must get the family to say why they want counseling sessions. Owning up to a problem will often take time and should never be rushed in any type of family counseling session, which can be especially challenging as both consensus and total participation are required.
If you or your family are having problems that need professional help to process, then call Adrien Survol Rivin PSYD today at (818) 784-7107 we are based in the Sherman Oaks, CA area. We offer discreet services that can help with any issues you or your family may be suffering from.