Marriage and Family Therapy
What is Marriage and Family
Therapy?
In an ideal world, relationships with people
in the workplace, with friends, in marriage,
and with our family are a reliable source of
support, and encouragement. When they
are going well, social relationships offer
members a safe haven where they can join
together to nourish, and care for one
another other.
Sometimes influences from within, or from
outside the our social circles can interfere
with the quality of our personal
relationships. When that happens
relationships can fall into unhealthy
patterns of behavior that can be difficult to
change.
Attempting to cope with these challenges
on your own can result in heightened
tensions that may add to the overall sense
uncertainty you may already be
experiencing. Certain issues that arise can
also open old wounds that have not yet
been resolved. The overwhelming
emotions that follow as a result can lead to
ongoing conflicts involving criticism,
contempt, defensiveness and eventual
withdrawal. Over time a never ending
series of unresolved disputes can damage
the bonds that bind people together.
How can a Marriage and Family
Therapy help?
Marriage and Family Counseling differs
from other types of counseling in that the
primary focus of attention is on the
relationships people have with one
another. Competent Marriage and Family
Counselors are trained to look at the way
that individuals interact, and to intervene
in ways that help them heal broken bonds.
A Marriage and Family Counselor can help
you sort through, and understand your
unique set of circumstances so that you
can begin to work together again.
What should I look for in a Marriage
and Family Therapist?
Choosing a professional Relationship
Counselor is a deeply personal decision.
Inviting someone into your life to help you
with your private family concerns is not
something most people take lightly.
Trusting someone to help you with work,
or other personal relationships can be just
as intimidating. Your counselor will
understand this, and be able to put your
mind at ease.
Your Marriage and Family Counselor will
be knowledgeable about the types of
problems you seek to resolve, and will
have experienced dealing with the
powerful emotions that are frequently
evoked when people come together to
resolve their differences. At a minimum,
your counselor should respect you, and
your personal values by putting your
relationships first.
Is Marriage and Family Counseling
Right for me?
The goal of Marriage and Family
Counseling is to strengthen personal
relationships. Marriage and Family
Counselors work together with people to
help them develop better ways of relating
to each other. You may want to consider
Marriage and Family Counseling if you
find that you are:
If the answers to any of these questions is
yes, then Marriage and Family Counseling
may be the right choice for you. For more
information on coaching you may refer to
the Frequently Asked Questions About
Counseling page located on this site.
What is Marriage and Family
Therapy?
In an ideal world, relationships with people
in the workplace, with friends, in marriage,
and with our family are a reliable source of
support, and encouragement. When they
are going well, social relationships offer
members a safe haven where they can join
together to nourish, and care for one
another other.
Sometimes influences from within, or from
outside the our social circles can interfere
with the quality of our personal
relationships. When that happens
relationships can fall into unhealthy
patterns of behavior that can be difficult to
change.
Attempting to cope with these challenges
on your own can result in heightened
tensions that may add to the overall sense
uncertainty you may already be
experiencing. Certain issues that arise can
also open old wounds that have not yet
been resolved. The overwhelming
emotions that follow as a result can lead to
ongoing conflicts involving criticism,
contempt, defensiveness and eventual
withdrawal. Over time a never ending
series of unresolved disputes can damage
the bonds that bind people together.
How can a Marriage and Family
Therapy help?
Marriage and Family Counseling differs
from other types of counseling in that the
primary focus of attention is on the
relationships people have with one
another. Competent Marriage and Family
Counselors are trained to look at the way
that individuals interact, and to intervene
in ways that help them heal broken bonds.
A Marriage and Family Counselor can help
you sort through, and understand your
unique set of circumstances so that you
can begin to work together again.
What should I look for in a Marriage
and Family Therapist?
Choosing a professional Relationship
Counselor is a deeply personal decision.
Inviting someone into your life to help you
with your private family concerns is not
something most people take lightly.
Trusting someone to help you with work,
or other personal relationships can be just
as intimidating. Your counselor will
understand this, and be able to put your
mind at ease.
Your Marriage and Family Counselor will
be knowledgeable about the types of
problems you seek to resolve, and will
have experienced dealing with the
powerful emotions that are frequently
evoked when people come together to
resolve their differences. At a minimum,
your counselor should respect you, and
your personal values by putting your
relationships first.
Is Marriage and Family Counseling
Right for me?
The goal of Marriage and Family
Counseling is to strengthen personal
relationships. Marriage and Family
Counselors work together with people to
help them develop better ways of relating
to each other. You may want to consider
Marriage and Family Counseling if you
find that you are:
- Involved in a repetitive cycle of
conflict with others that just never
seem to get resolved. - Trying your best to communicate but
you can't seem to get your point
across. - Unable to get your spouse, children,
or co-workers to take you seriously. - Unable to get your spouse, children,
or coworkers to take you seriously. - Experiencing discipline problems
with your children, and you can't
seem to get them to listen to you. - Struggling with problems in your
marital relationship involving sexual
intimacy, or loneliness. - Determined to enrich your
relationship, and recover a vibrant
sense of connection.
If the answers to any of these questions is
yes, then Marriage and Family Counseling
may be the right choice for you. For more
information on coaching you may refer to
the Frequently Asked Questions About
Counseling page located on this site.
"Feelings of worth can flourish
only in an atmosphere where
individual differences are
appreciated, mistakes are
tolerated, communication is
open, and rules are flexible ~
the kind of atmosphere that is
found in a nurturing family."
Virginia Satire
A number of common stressors can
interfere with personal relationships,
and challenge people's ability to
cope. A few of the issues that may
significantly effect relationships
include:
Common Family Stressors
Common Work Related Stressors
At those times it can be helpful to
find a trusted confidant that you can
rely upon who can help you and the
ones you care about to find ways to
come together to develop better
ways of dealing with all of your
concerns.
When selecting a Marriage and
Family Counselor, you should:
"For one human being to love
another; that is perhaps the
most difficult of all our tasks,
the ultimate, the last test and
proof, the work for which all
other work is but preparation. It
is a great exacting claim upon
us, something that chooses us
out and calls us to vast things.."
Virginia Satire
only in an atmosphere where
individual differences are
appreciated, mistakes are
tolerated, communication is
open, and rules are flexible ~
the kind of atmosphere that is
found in a nurturing family."
Virginia Satire
A number of common stressors can
interfere with personal relationships,
and challenge people's ability to
cope. A few of the issues that may
significantly effect relationships
include:
Common Family Stressors
- Unexpected changes in
lifestyle, or living arrangements - Adjusting to the birth of a child
- Adolescent behavioral
problems - Renewing a relationship when
adult children leave home - Retirement
- Sudden illness
- A death of a family member
- Infidelity
- Alcohol, or drug dependency
- Domestic violence, or abuse
Common Work Related Stressors
- Changes in organizational
structure - Changes in job descriptions, or
responsibilities - Company mergers, and
acquisitions - Government regulations that
effect the way people work - Evolving market conditions
that effect the delivery of
goods, and services - New product designs,
manufacturing, or engineering
approaches - Personal relationships at home
that carry over into the
workplace - Other organizational, and
individual transitions
At those times it can be helpful to
find a trusted confidant that you can
rely upon who can help you and the
ones you care about to find ways to
come together to develop better
ways of dealing with all of your
concerns.
When selecting a Marriage and
Family Counselor, you should:
- Be comfortable with your
counselor's personal style. - Interview him or her to see if
your counselor is able to
understand your specific
concerns. - Determine whether of not your
counselor is knowledgeable
when it comes to human
development, and relationship
issues. - Be able to trust that your
counselor will consider the
needs of everyone involved,
and not just pit one person
against the other. - Feel confident that your
counselor is committed to
maintaining your privacy.
"For one human being to love
another; that is perhaps the
most difficult of all our tasks,
the ultimate, the last test and
proof, the work for which all
other work is but preparation. It
is a great exacting claim upon
us, something that chooses us
out and calls us to vast things.."
Virginia Satire
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Copyright 2008 Life Course Solutions.
In St. Louis, Missouri In Indianapolis, Indiana
7649 Delmar Blvd. 6225 Central Ave.
Saint Louis, MO 63130 Indianapolis, Indiana 46220
Phone: (314)369-4729 Phone: (317)414-0106
7649 Delmar Blvd. 6225 Central Ave.
Saint Louis, MO 63130 Indianapolis, Indiana 46220
Phone: (314)369-4729 Phone: (317)414-0106