family counseling to save your familyfamily counseling to save your family


About Me

family counseling to save your family

Raising a teenager is more difficult than I had ever imagined it would be. What had made it more difficult is the fact that my husband and I had separated and were contemplating getting a divorce. You know, teenagers are hormonal and emotional enough without parents throwing a wrench into their daily lives. Instead of giving up on our family, we all started going to a family therapist to get some help. It has helped us all a lot because we have learned how to talk to each other and discuss the problems that we had rather than screaming and not dealing with any of the issues at hand.

Do You React in These Ways to Certain Situations? Therapy Can Help

A simple way for you to assess whether you can benefit from seeing a therapist is to look at how you react to various situations in your life — especially those that are unpleasant. Your boss reprimanding you, someone on the subway accidentally spilling coffee on your jacket, or your spouse asking you to pick up your dirty laundry can all be situations that people encounter from time to time, and many people don't respond favorably in these scenarios. If you find that you're often reacting in these ways to such situations, it may be time to visit a therapist.

Anger

While it's understandable to sometimes be angry as a result of different situations, this shouldn't always be your go-to reaction. Those who are quick to get angry often have something that is irking them, and a therapist can help to identify it. In many cases, you might not know why anger is your initial reaction to many things, and this emotion can often make things worse. For example, if your boss asks you to do something differently and you react in anger, you can create a conflict that has the potential to threaten your employment.

Shutting Down

Another less-than-ideal way of dealing with certain situations is to shut down. This reaction is similar to anger in some ways, because you're acting upset, but you typically keep things bottled up. For example, after your spouse asks you to pick up your dirty laundry and put it in the laundry hamper, you might do so — but then give him or her the silent treatment, frown a lot, and not speak to him or her for the rest of the evening. Shutting down can make a small conflict become bigger, and isn't a trait that will endear you to others. Your therapist will help you to identify why you shut down and help you learn ways to better deal with situations.

Arguing

Some people feel the need to always be right, even in situations in which they're clearly in the wrong. These people are often quick to argue, which can elevate a fairly innocuous situation into one of sharp conflict. While there might be a place for arguing in your life, it shouldn't be your automatic reaction whenever something doesn't go your way. Being a frequent arguer can cause problems with your personal and professional relationships, but your therapist can suggest some reasons that you may react in this manner and help you to change your habits.

For more information, visit a website such as http://livinghopeclinic.org.