| Family problems can cause untold | | | | common and can make marital problems |
| suffering and emotional problems. They | | | | even worse. Divorce and the creation of |
| can lead to depression, anxiety and even | | | | stepfamilies also create difficulties. |
| substance abuse. These problems are | | | | Often, the couple itself is the problem |
| often very complex so timeliness can be | | | | because of poor communication, |
| crucial to a good counseling outcome | | | | continuous conflict, alienation, sexual |
| -the sooner therapy is started, the | | | | problems or even in-law problems. |
| better. | | | | Problems like these often lead to |
| Conflicts like these often cause people | | | | adjustment issues. Since the family |
| to seek psychological or marriage | | | | relationships are central to the |
| counseling. However, they usually | | | | problem, it may be necessary to change |
| procrastinate, making a beneficial | | | | their underlying dynamics. A family |
| outcome more difficult. Find a | | | | therapist often provides marriage |
| therapist who provides an appointment | | | | counseling or family therapy to address |
| within 7 days. Leveraging motivation by | | | | these issues as well as to help parents |
| using immediacy in obtaining treatment | | | | improve their parenting skills. |
| is crucial to a good result. | | | | Sometimes multiple problems exist such |
| Married couples can experience problems | | | | as, depression in one family member, |
| because of physical or mental health | | | | plus conflict in the marriage itself. |
| problems in either person, or in one of | | | | The second stage of treatment is the |
| their children. Parent-child problems | | | | goal-setting stage. At this stage, the |
| can also create turmoil. For these | | | | counselor and family members specify |
| reasons, it can be helpful if your | | | | behavioral changes towards which to |
| therapist is a psychologist; | | | | work. These can include increase in |
| psychologists can administer diagnostic | | | | levels of demonstrated empathy, the use |
| tests which can get to the heart of any | | | | of negotiation techniques, the |
| psychiatric or mental health problems. | | | | demonstration of positive reinforcement |
| It's important that the spouses or | | | | and appreciation and the more frequent |
| family members stay in therapy long | | | | use of forgiveness. |
| enough to get a substantive benefit. | | | | The last stage of counseling is |
| Treatment must be affordable. Family | | | | implementation. This stage includes the |
| members can secure limited services | | | | development of a plan of action to get |
| through Employee Assistance Programs | | | | the family members from where they are |
| offered through the workplace. These | | | | to where they WANT to be. Several |
| services are typically free and are | | | | counseling approaches may be necessary |
| offered through the Human Resources | | | | in these circumstances, including |
| Dept. | | | | interpersonal and empathy training, |
| If counseling involves the treatment of | | | | cognitive modification and role playing |
| psychological disorder(s), health | | | | and role reversal. The therapist may |
| benefits plans will pay for all or some | | | | ask the clients to use diaries, logs, |
| of it. In this instance, seek a | | | | charts, graphs etc to practice specific |
| therapist who only requires the | | | | the new behavioral skills in their |
| co-payment at each visit. | | | | everyday lives. |
| Some require that you pay the entire | | | | Does the counselor ever see an |
| fee, only to be reimbursed later based | | | | individual family member separately from |
| on the amount your insurance company | | | | the family sessions? Only infrequently, |
| eventually pays. This is not the | | | | will a psychologist provide individual |
| standard of practice in the era of | | | | psychotherapy to one member of the |
| managed care; pay only the co-pay. Your | | | | family, and simultaneously treat the |
| therapist should wait for the balance of | | | | whole family or the couple. However, one |
| the payment through the insurance | | | | exception is that treatment related to |
| company. | | | | child behavior problems will often |
| Of course, your responsibility is to do | | | | include individual sessions with the |
| all you can to facilitate that payment | | | | parents to impart parenting skills. |
| by providing the insurance company with | | | | However, these sessions are designed to |
| any requested information. Respond to | | | | help with parenting skills only. While |
| such inquiries promptly so your | | | | it is possible to provide individual |
| counselor will get paid. | | | | psychotherapy to two family members |
| Testing is considered part of an | | | | separately, psychologists evaluate its |
| assessment- the first stage of | | | | possible effectiveness on a per case |
| counseling. During this stage the | | | | basis. |
| therapist is evaluating the current | | | | Psychologists who provide family therapy |
| status of the problems. What are they? | | | | or marriage counseling often have |
| He evaluates communication patterns, | | | | received specialized training in family |
| built-in biases and stereotypes, the | | | | counseling theory and in family and |
| existence of psychiatric dysfunctions, | | | | marriage therapy skills. When you |
| problem-solving skills and the levels of | | | | contact a psychologist for family or |
| empathy that are demonstrated by family | | | | marriage counseling, do not hesitate to |
| members. | | | | ask about his/her training in marriage |
| Communication and discipline problems | | | | and family therapy techniques. |
| between parents and children are very | | | | |