The world is not a perfect sphere and families do not have perfect dynamics. Families are made up from different people with different agendas of their own. You can choose your friends but not your family, so somehow you have to find a way to get along. Sometimes issues may arise or one family member is having major problems that upset the equilibrium of the family. Some families may never learn how to live together well because the family has been toxic to those involved.
When I say family I am using the broad sense of the word and I mean those relatives who are living together, which mean heterosexual, gay, blended second families or people in polyamorous relationships. This also includes children at each stage of growth.
I practise systemic family therapy and may ask all of the family to attend family sessions or certain elements of the family where the disharmony may lie. The aim of systemic family therapy is to assist those involved in finding new ways of communicating in order to establish a working family where harmony can be installed.
Sometimes certain members of the family may refuse to attend session as is their right. Other times certain family members will flatly deny that the disharmony is anything to do with them at all and everyone else can sort things out, in which case even an individual can come into therapy to help start to sort out the family disharmony. Remember only from small acorns can an oak tree grow.
Systemic family therapy is not about finding fault with individuals or blaming anyone for the disharmony but about how to help families go forward in a positive, constructive way. Families can be beautiful relationships that support those within as they go forward into life.
I also offer marriage and relationship counselling.
