By Brittany Fella, MA
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT 92791)
We love working with teens – in both individual and family online therapy. But how do you decide if individual or family therapy would be most helpful for your teen? Consider these factors:
When Individual Therapy is Best
If your teen’s primary concerns are academic challenges, self-esteem, or friendship dynamics, for example, these issues are often best discussed by a teen and therapist working together.
When Family Therapy Could be Helpful
If the main concern is related to interactions between parents, teens, and/or siblings, family therapy may be the preferred modality of treatment.
How Family Therapy is Unique
In family therapy, every family member contributes – sharing what’s working and the challenges of family life from each person’s perspective. It’s a chance for each family member to clarify values, needs, and preferences. Our team is trained in the active process of helping each member be heard and offering support and clarity for complex family dynamics.
Family Therapy Focuses on the Group Dynamic
Have you ever heard the term “identified patient?” Some parents feel that family dynamics would improve significantly if only their teens would change; while many teens feel their parents need to change. Family therapy takes away the concept of an identified patient and looks at family interactions as a whole and each person’s part.
In working with families, we help identify and discuss ingrained dynamics that could be improved. Our family therapy team helps families engage in healthy conflict resolution and emotional regulation.
Family Therapy Benefits
Families benefit from improving communication, learning new skills together, and making adjustments to address subtleties in interactions. The fluidity in sessions allows real-time practice of more effective family communication – which can then be replicated at home.
With your family being in close quarters during this health crisis, it’s an ideal time to reflect on your family dynamics. Please let us know if we can offer additional support.