Myths About Family Therapy in Houston
If we’re being honest…
…we may think that our families could use some professional support. Living, working and raising a family in a city the size of Houston can be stressful, and some of those stressors can add up to big fights or constant worries. But what does it say about your family that you need to go to therapy? You know what? It says that you’re up for getting some help and making your way to better communication.
Here Are Some Myths About Family Therapy in Houston
If we need family therapy, there is something wrong with us! We’re a bad family!
Nope. Nothing goes right for everyone and being in relationships with people who are close to you means that you will have differences of opinion. You may live with someone who has a mental illness and are not sure how to help them. Maybe you’ve all been through a really hard experience like losing someone close to death or substance abuse or addiction. There’s nothing wrong with you if you know that your family needs some help getting back to a place that feels better.
Nothing’s perfect--our family certainly isn’t. Going to family therapy isn’t going to make a difference.
You’re right-- no family is perfect, and we’ll be honest, family therapy isn’t going to magically turn your home into something from a fairy tale. What it will do, though, is give you some ways to communicate with each other better, maybe understand each other better, and make the way forward feel happier. And on most days, that’s a big deal.
Kids don’t need to be a part of family therapy. They don’t understand what’s happening anyway.
Okay, there’s some truth in the idea that kids should be shielded from really big hard things. They don’t need to hear the details about infidelity or know the extent of financial insecurity. But here’s what: they absolutely know that something big is happening and that it’s making things feel really hard at home. And when kids don’t know what’s really happening, they tend to fill in the blanks with some really scary stuff. Finding a family therapist who’s good at working with your whole family can be a game-changer. They can get everybody in the room and help kids ask questions, help parents explain in developmentally appropriate ways, and offer some ideas about communication moving forward. Family play therapy can make even really little kids a part of the process.
Only families in crisis go to therapy.
When little problems aren’t solved, they can turn into big ones. You don’t have to wait until something is going REALLY wrong to seek some help. You don’t wait to call the doctor until your kid has had a fever for two weeks, right? You check in, see what’s going on, get some expert help with the issue. Same with family therapy. A few sessions with a family therapist can really help you lay a solid foundation for good mental health and great relationships--and maybe even prevent the crisis in the first place.
Family therapy is for “typical” families.
Lots of families on social media or television look a certain way--two parents, some kids. They all live together in a house and have a dog and jobs and take vacations. We know that in real life, families look all kinds of different ways. They may be married, divorced, or none of the above. They might live together, or not. Real families might be related to each other by blood, community, friendship, or happenstance. And in real families, things can get hard. For all those families, family therapy can help. The right family therapist will listen to your priorities and take time to understand your relationships so they can help you get to where you want to go.
A family therapist will point out all the things we’re doing wrong (as parents, partners, kids).
A good family therapist will do the opposite of making you feel bad about how you’re doing. They can help you identify what you’d like to change and point out the strengths you already have. They know that you’ve probably tried everything you know and that you’re working really hard. Family therapy can give you a new perspective and help you find some new solutions. It’s not about blaming, it’s more about joining and helping.
Every member of the family has to go to sessions for family therapy to work.
It can be hard to get everybody around the dinner table. How are you going to get every single member of your family in the same place for a family therapy session? The truth is that you might not need to. Your family therapist can help you hone in on the relationships that need some help and get those people in the same room to work on the problem. Maybe different members can come in at different times. Don’t take family therapy off the table because you just don’t think you can schedule it. There might be other options.
There are so many things that can keep you from reaching out and booking a family therapy session. Don’t let a myth be one of those reasons. If you are wondering if family therapy could help you, we offer free phone consultations— we can listen to your concerns and answer your questions. We’ve heard a lot, not much shocks us, and we’re here for you. Call us at (713) 936-0633 and share this with someone who might be struggling.