Family Therapy
Resolving conflicts with effective communication is essential in any group setting, especially within a family unit.
Family Therapy helps families overcome conflict within family relationships. Systemic therapy focuses on relationships between a group of people, rather than the thoughts and feelings of the individual. It is often referred to as family therapy but is much broader in scope and can be applied to any group, whether professional or personal where the relationships have become dysfunctional, impacting on the entire system.
Within any system, members communicate and behave based on their beliefs and respective roles. Families are systems where the needs and roles of members shift between dependency in infancy and old age and autonomy in adolescence and adulthood. Our expectations of how family members behave within roles are formed by our own family history and wider culture.
Overcoming family arguments with improved communication
Communication difficulties arise when these expectations are fixed but out of step with the practical demands of life. Some voices become dominant as they try to problem-solve immediate challenges, and others unheard as they try to avoid conflict. Over time, identities form as either controlling and resentful or dependent and self-doubting. To feel safe within the family, individuals use strategies such as isolation, stonewalling, ganging up or anger to control the narrative.
Systemic family therapy has been shown to be effective for:
- parenting issues
- work related issues
- child and adolescent behaviour
- divorce and separation
- adult mental health
- changes in family life
- anger, anxiety and low mood
Learning listening skills
Family therapy allows dysfunctional patterns of communication and relationships to be identified within a safe space. Learning new and effective communication and listening skills allows each member to be heard and for each member to understand the perspective of other members. With the support of therapy, the family can air and understand their differences and how these are causing problems. With effective communication, families can move from reactive problem-solving driven by individual needs to thinking about how best to meet the needs of the family.
Families are like branches on a tree. We grow in different directions yet our roots remain as one.
Online Counselling
Providing you with the tools you need to take the next step.
Technology is rapidly changing the ways we can interact with each other, and counselling is no exception. This
service can be provided upon request. For the below options you will need broadband/internet connection and
somewhere quiet and private you can speak without being overheard or interrupted. Your Counsellor will agree with
you what happens should the technology fail, but in all other respects the counselling relationship will be the same
as a ‘face to face’ one. The Counsellor will speak to you from a private room …
0141 353 9373
Mon-Fri 08.00 – 21.00
Sat 09.00 – 17.00
(out of hours at discretion of Counsellor)
5 La Belle Place,
Glasgow, G3 7LH
The Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice,
20 Dumbreck Rd,
Glasgow, G41 5BW