Is Your Family Struggling To Communicate And Connect? 

Are you feeling overwhelmed, frustrated and/or worried about one or more of your children? Does your child or teen seem withdrawn or defiant? Maybe you often argue with your child about getting on the right track, especially if you receive calls from school about behavioral issues or academic problems. Or, perhaps you worry that your child doesn’t have many friends or that he or she is engaging in harmful behavior. Do you want to reach out to your child, but don’t know how to relate? It may be that you’re concerned that emotional and behavioral issues stem from a larger problem, such as bullying, depression, anxiety, or ADHD. Do you wish you could form a closer relationship with your child and provide him or her with the insight, guidance and support needed during this trying time? 

Feeling estranged from your child can be a troubling, frustrating and even frightening experience, especially if he or she continues to run away from home or behavior seems out of control. As the dynamic in your family becomes increasingly more problematic, you may wonder where you went wrong as a parent or fear there is no escape from the chaos. And, when you approach your child, he or she may be unresponsive or the discussion may quickly escalate into a screaming match. You want to support your child however you can, but struggle to know how to. And, as you become more overwhelmed, your child becomes more impulsive, introverted or disrespectful, leading to further disconnection. 

It’s Common For Families To Struggle

Countless families go through periods of strife and struggle to maintain peace and balance. With circumstantial issues, such as divorce, grief and loss as well as everyday stressors, it’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed and isolated from those you love. Plus, now more than ever with the influence of social media, it’s common to feel as if your family doesn’t measure up to your peers. When you see your neighbors, friends and other family members enjoying vacations or success, it may cause you feel inadequate or inferior, perpetuating a cycle of negative thinking that fuels low self-esteem.  

Although some amount of stress is normal and can be productive, if there have been noticeable shifts in behavior in your family, such as your child suffering from low self-esteem, depression or if he or she has stopped speaking to you, getting help may be vital to your personal stability and overall wellbeing as a family. The good news is that there is help and hope. With the guidance of an experienced family counselor, you and your family can work through your issues and develop the skills needed to foster a strong, trusting and loving bond.  

Family Counseling Can Help You Reconnect

Family therapy can be incredibly effective in helping work though pressing challenges and restore harmony to your family. In a safe space, outside the chaos of work, school and your household, you, your partner or your child(ren) can relax and openly express your innermost concerns and desires. With the guidance of a family therapist, you can learn effective communication skills to and establish empathy and compassion in the family dynamic. 

Depending on who the identified client is – whether it is the parent, child, or teen – there are a variety of different directions family therapy can take. When we work with children and teens, my aim is to create a comfortable, open and enjoyable environment. we draw from age-appropriate approaches, such as play therapy, art therapy, role-playing and more to get to the heart of the issue in ways that feels comfortable and even fun. Although we may face difficult and troubling issues, my approach is interactive and broken down into manageable activities. Our aim is to provide specific practices and guidance that allows everyone in your family to share experiences feeling heard, valued and loved. 

Because every family is different, the course of our work is tailored to your unique issues, concerns and needs. During sessions with us, you can expect to feel secure and supported as we explore any triggers, thought patterns, emotions and beliefs that are keeping you and your family stuck in an unhappy cycle. Our approach is solution-focused, and we seek to understand your family challenges within the context of your life. We can help guide and support you as you discover new ways of interacting with each other and heal your discord. Together, we can explore what your values and needs are and develop practical skills to help you achieve and maintain your goals. 

It’s possible to begin to understand, accept and become more open with each other. When a family is struggling, there’s often a common thread in what each individual in the family wants. We’ve been working with families since the inception of our practice, and we believe your family can share a healthy vision and be happy. 

Although your family is really struggling right now, you may have additional questions or concerns about family counseling… 

I feel uncomfortable letting someone else in on our business. 

It’s common when something has gone awry at home to feel as though you are responsible and should solely take on the burden of fixing your family’s problems. That said, life is difficult. We all struggle sometimes, and there are times when we truly need help. With some guidance, you and your family can move past this challenging life phase. We am not here to judge. Rather, we am available to listen to your story and provide you with options for getting your needs met moving forward. 

Do we all need to come in for therapy? 

Typically, family counseling is one-on-one. However, in order to heal the dynamic within the family, other family members need to take an active role in the therapy process. If your child becomes the identified client, you, the parent, will need to regularly check-in and provide feedback about how therapy is working. When We’re working with children and teens, creating a strong support system is incredibly important for instilling lasting, positive change. We also need work toward finding a common thread in what everyone wants and how to accommodate everyone’s needs with love and care. 

I don’t have insurance, and I am worried about the cost. 

There is an affordable fee involved with this work. That said, there are definite benefits to not using insurance. Insurance companies may limit you to a certain amount of visits per year and force us, the practitioner, to provide a diagnosis that potentially becomes a permanent part of your medical record. The benefit of seeking help through a private practice is that we can work through issues calmly and at a pace that feels manageable for you. It also allows us to work free of any official labels and make adjustments as needed.  

Our practice is also solution oriented, meaning you ultimately decide when the goal has been achieved and how long you would like to remain in therapy. Often times, having an agenda and set end goal in mind alleviates financial worry. Plus, developing the love and bond within your family is a worthwhile investment that can have a major impact on your overall health and happiness.  

Your Family Can Heal

If you’re interested in family counseling in Cary, NC, please call our office manager at 919-268-2182 to request a free 15-minute phone consultation. We are happy to answer any questions you have about our practice or how family therapy can address your needs.