02 Mar How Family Counseling Can Help with Conflict Resolution
Conflict is inevitable. At times, you may disagree or argue with family members including your spouse, in-laws, divorced parents, stepparents, siblings, or the parent of your child. This could even cause you to experience conflict within yourself as you make decisions or wrestle with navigating family disagreements. Also, sometimes other people in the family arguing can impact and create conflict within the rest of the family simply because there is a divide or tension.
While some types of conflict can be helpful and healthy, unresolved conflict puts a wedge between you and others and could cause you to feel anger, anxiety, depression, or helplessness. Family therapy for conflict resolution helps you learn how to resolve differences and relate to your family members in healthy ways, even when you disagree.
What is Conflict Resolution Therapy?
Times of frustration and disagreement with others are common in your daily life. Fortunately, you can utilize positive strategies as you work through the issues. Instead of living with broken relationships, seek help during family therapy. A trained professional listens to your concerns with empathy and understanding. In addition, the family therapist explores underlying concerns and identifies habits and patterns of behavior that are linked to your childhood or past conflicts. They may also explore issues that have stemmed from substance abuse, drug problems, mental illness, or eating disorders. Finally, you can co-create a mutually agreed-upon plan that resolves the current disagreement and helps you avoid future conflicts.
Family therapy sessions may feature talk, role-play, art, and other strategies. For example, you may draw a picture of how you feel when you fight with your spouse and also role-play effective verbal and non-verbal communication.
What are the Benefits of Conflict Resolution Counseling for Families?
With family therapy, you can learn healthy ways to resolve conflicts and restore relationships. Then discover strategies and tools that help you resolve differences. Other benefits of conflict resolution therapy include:
- Identify harmful behavioral habits and patterns in your family
- Relearn new ways of relating to yourself and others
- Manage mental health symptoms
- Respect the perspectives and opinions of others
- Own your needs, behaviors, and emotions
- Control and own your behaviors, emotions, and needs
- Release control over others
- Give yourself and family member respect and space
- Learn how to listen actively
- Discover ways to increase collaboration and cooperation
- Cope with difficult situations and people
Finding Resolutions with Family Counseling
When you meet with a family counselor, you’ll be working with a professional that is trained to be as objective and neutral as possible. Rather than assigning blame, their goal is to help each person in the family better understand one another and have healthy strategies to heal the relationship and move forward.
Request an appointment with Psych Choices today to learn more or schedule a family counseling session.
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