At Abhaya Wellness, we understand that families also need a place to heal. The complexities of substance use and mental health disorders do more than wreak havoc on relationships. They have the power to damage and ultimately divide families. When problems surface and intensify, family members are looking for way to “support” but nothing seems to “work”.
One of the most effective ways to mend the relationship between you and your loved one in treatment is through experiencing a personal journey of healing of your own. You want nothing more than to help the one you love, but you must understand that they must become the sole owner and operator of their recovery.
In this approach, mindfulness practices such as meditation, deep breathing, and body scanning are combined with traditional talk therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or other evidence-based treatments, with the goal of helping clients develop greater awareness of their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and to develop the skills to manage them in a healthier way.
This mentality can be difficult to grasp and abide by, given the life-threatening nature that sometimes defines your loved one’s battle.
- Your family member needs you.
- They need your mind, body, and spirit to be healthy.
- They need you to establish and respect boundaries.
- They need you to be a part of the solution by doing your own work.
There are several different types of family therapy, each with a slightly different focus or approach. Some of the most common types include:
- Structural family therapy (SFT) which focuses on changing the way the family interacts and communicates.
- Strategic family therapy (SFT) which focuses on the family’s problem-solving and decision-making processes.
- Systems family therapy (SFT) which looks at the family as a complex system of interconnected parts.
- Behavioral family therapy (BFT) which focuses on changing specific behaviors within the family.
- Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) which focuses on emotions and bonding within the family.
Family therapy can be an effective treatment for a wide range of mental health and substance use disorders, and it is particularly useful when the problems being treated are strongly related to family dynamics, such as communication issues or parenting concerns.