Recovering from addiction is a tough road, and it doesn’t just affect the person with the addiction. Substance abuse impacts how families work and how everyone gets along.
That’s why many individuals turn to family therapy: an evidence-based approach to help families heal from the damage done by drug or alcohol addiction. When people understand why family therapy helps and how it can improve things, they can team up with their loved ones to create a supportive and healthy environment.
This article explains how family therapy can help long-term recovery stick around for good.
Let’s begin with the most pressing question:
What is the Value of Family Therapy for Addiction?
Family therapy is a helpful way to work through family problems and patterns passed down through generations. Therapy can bring balance and improve the family’s well-being by addressing issues like resentments, misunderstandings, and distance.
Family members could unknowingly make things worse by enabling the addiction, but they can also play a significant role in the prevention of alcoholism or substance misuse with the support of a therapist. Therapy gives families a safe space to talk about challenging feelings like fear, anger, and shame, which can be a big step in everyone’s recovery journey.
Therapists tailor sessions to tackle the family’s specific issues, like communication problems or emotional strains, to help everyone heal together. Some of the common issues family therapy helps include:
- Substance abuse
- Substance abuse at work
- Marital complications
- Mental health treatment
- Communication problems
- Relationship dynamics
- Conflict resolution
- Parenting issues
- Trauma
- Domestic violence
- Infidelity
- Grief
- Financial problems
In recovery support, the situation may look different. Most addiction treatment centers design their counseling around the family in question, offering training, support, and personalized guidance for the adult, adolescent, or child in recovery.
What Happens During Family Therapy Treatment?
In family therapy sessions, the therapist will inquire about the family members’ behaviors and communication styles to understand them better. They might also take a step back and observe how family members interact, noting strengths, weaknesses, and areas needing improvement.
Some topics that could come up in family therapy include:
- How to communicate more effectively
- How to deal with anger, regret, and sadness
- How to say no to unreasonable demands
- Learn coping skills
- How to talk about feelings
- How to give a compliment
- Learn how to re-word things to sound more positive
Look for a therapist who might assign homework to the family, like spending quality time together or keeping track of positive interactions. These tasks help the family learn healthier ways of relating without the influence of drugs or alcohol. Family therapy can also strengthen emotional bonds within the family, reassure the person with addiction that their family supports them, and assist in setting and reaching recovery goals.
What Are Some Different Types of Family Therapy Rehab?
Family therapy for addiction comes in several forms. It also provides a number of benefits to families experiencing drug abuse.
You can find family therapists offering rehab programs such as:
- Family addiction education sessions at a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center
- Group sessions at a rehab center that include other clients and their families
- Private family therapy program involving only family members and a therapist
There are also several family therapy models to consider. Some of the most common ones include:
- Multidimensional family therapy, which is often used for the child in recovery. This modality is focused on helping them develop solid and stable identities. Parents and guardians also get support with communication, improving parent-teen relationships, and establishing healthy boundaries.
- Cognitive-behavioral family therapy applies principles from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to tackle destructive behaviors and thought patterns within the family. Family members work together to replace negative patterns with positive actions that benefit the loved one’s sobriety and migration from substance misuse.
- Structural family therapy targets and changes unhelpful family dynamics and rules. It emphasizes improving communication and setting clear boundaries to create a healthier family environment.
- Strategic family therapy is a method used for families dealing with children’s behavioral problems. It believes that the family greatly influences the adolescents’ life and growth. This therapy aims to modify how family members interact, enhancing overall family dynamics. Addressing problematic behaviors and interactions within the family promotes healthier functioning and positively impacts the child’s behavior.
- Systemic family therapy views the family as a whole, recognizing that each person’s actions collectively influence others and the family unit. This approach allows all family members to express their emotions without fear of criticism, ensuring everyone’s perspective is valued. Through systemic family therapy, patterns within family dynamics are examined to understand how members communicate and behave within the system. The goal is to identify areas for improvement and enhance overall family relationships.
Looking for family counseling near central California?
You may want to evaluate our Fresno Family Counseling Therapy and Support Group to see if it’s a fit.
Reunite Your Family with Family Therapy Addiction Treatment
In substance abuse treatment programs, family addiction therapy is often included because addiction affects the whole family, not just the individual struggling with drugs or alcohol. Every family member must grasp the dynamics and roles contributing to their loved one’s substance abuse.
Thankfully, engaging with a skilled family therapist can play an essential role in repairing the damage caused by addiction within families. When a family member is struggling with drug or alcohol abuse, involving a family therapist can aid in the recovery process for the entire family.
Want more resources for addiction recovery?
Check out a few of our guides below:
