4 Reasons Not To Seek Family Therapy
Life is a challenge that brings many people to therapy. There is no shame in admitting when something is bothering us, and we need a little bit of extra support. At some point, almost every person will struggle with issues such as anxiety or depression, or a traumatic event. And while many people are lucky enough not to have a chronic problem, others aren’t so lucky.
Therapy is important, but mental health has been a taboo subject among many people, making those who suffer feel as if they are alone. However, there was an estimate that in 2017, 1 in 4 people throughout the UK were experiencing mental health issues. And in recent years, this has only been on the rise—largely due to the pandemic.
Even though therapy is important, there are times when it might not be appropriate. One of these situations is when it comes to family therapy, in particular.
Family therapy is when more than one family member is present during a psychotherapeutic session. It can be highly beneficial for families to go to a session to resolve underlying issues causing conflict and tension within the unit. But then there are other situations where family therapy may not be the best solution. Here are four situations where family therapy may not be appropriate.
4 Reasons To Not Seek Family Therapy
1. The Willingness To Go Is Not There
Therapy is an idea that does take some people time to come around to. It can be nerve-wracking to think of talking to a stranger you barely know about personal details of your life. I get that completely. For most, once they come around to the idea, they are more willing to attend.
However, family therapy can be tricky because there have to be multiple people within the family present (or at least two.) So if one member is not budging on the idea and does not seem to want to go, this may be a sign that family therapy is not the best choice right now. That doesn’t mean they won’t come around to the idea, especially if you decide just to do individual counseling instead.
2. There’s A Risk Of It Stopping
People stop attending therapy for many reasons. However, if family therapy sessions begin and suddenly stop—it won’t do any good, especially when someone is working with a therapist to resolve a specific issue. If the sessions are stopped too soon before then, it will negate the first few intended sessions. While there may need to be a pause in sessions, that doesn’t mean psychotherapy should be halted altogether.
3. Things Can Get Tense
This isn’t a reason not to go, per se. But, family therapy can become tense and bring up unwanted emotions or past experiences. While that is part of the healing process, sometimes, these situations or emotional states are too much for some to handle. You are in a safe space to explore these things with your therapist, but if certain family members cannot handle tense discussions, it could cause further tension.
4. There Are Serious Medical Mental Situations Happening That Aren’t Being Treated
It’s common for people with any mental health condition to come to therapy. But, family therapy may not be right for someone suffering from undiagnosed mental health disorders. Mental health concerns such as schizophrenia or multiple personality disorder require the medical attention of a psychologist and a doctor to be treated successfully. So if someone is not being treated for either of these things, family therapy may cause more harm than good.
Family therapy, while challenging, can be a very rewarding and enlightening experience! It could either take place through the whole or a part of the family attending for the sessions, or on an individual basis. If you are interested to do some individual sessions, holding in mind the family aspects, reach out today to begin!
