Every person’s mental health journey is personal, and we all have our own ways of navigating it. Even though you want to make sure that your teen develops confidence in their ability to handle mental health challenges on their own, it can also be helpful to have their family by their side.

Any teen who is trying to manage their mental health can benefit from talking to a licensed therapist, but therapy sessions can be a family affair as well. Alongside individual therapy, family-focused therapy for teens can play a significant role in helping them work toward becoming the best version of themselves.

Here are six benefits that your teen can gain from family therapy:

• Improving their communication skills

Properly communicating one’s thoughts and feelings with others is a skill that takes time and practice to develop. A teen who is experiencing challenges with their mental health may not always be able to articulate them in the best way, leading to them feeling misunderstood and getting frustrated with other family members.

Family therapy can help improve the communication skills of everyone involved, leading to more empathetic conversations that work through potential problems.

• Addressing negative patterns

Every family has their issues, and that’s OK. But when issues become recurring and aren’t addressed, they can develop into patterns that worsen mental health distress for everyone. A therapist can help family members work through behavioral patterns that are interfering with your teen’s mental health. Examples of recurring issues that can affect a teen include:

• Lack of respect for their boundaries
• Lack of trust in decision-making (e.g., not being allowed to go to a party)
• Dismissing problems as “no big deal”
• Criticism 
• Comparison to others, especially siblings
• Recognizing their impact on those they love

When your teen is struggling, it can be difficult for them to look past their own difficulties. It’s like they have blinders on to everyone around them. Family therapy can provide perspective on how their emotions and behaviors are affecting other people as well. You don’t want them to feel guilty or responsible for others’ distress, but therapy can help them see the negative impact of their challenges on their relationships.

• Understanding the dynamics

A teen’s relationships with their family can play a role in how they approach relationships with others, because they are often the most steady relationships they have as they grow. Through family therapy, all participants can gain a better understanding of the family dynamics and acknowledge any negative behaviors (e.g., codependency) that need to be addressed for healthier connections.

• Setting boundaries

No matter how close a family is, boundaries are essential. Boundaries can help protect a person’s mental, emotional and physical well-being; however, they aren’t always easy to set, let alone enforce. A teen who is experiencing mental health distress can benefit from putting limits in place that will help protect their overall well-being and reduce the risk of negative feelings and thoughts.

In family therapy, a teen can determine boundaries that they want everyone to respect, including their family, which may include the following:

• Denying unwanted physical touch, such as hugs
• Shutting down conversation topics that bring conflict or anxiety
• Requiring a certain amount of alone time before family gatherings
• Privacy guidelines, such as knocking before entering their room

• Strengthening family bonds

The importance of family support during the ups and downs of life can’t be overstated. When your teen is experiencing mental health struggles, the understanding and validation from family can show that they are cared for and accepted by the people closest to them. 

Family therapy can strengthen a family’s bond by:

• Reducing misunderstandings
• Increasing empathy
• Providing a place for open expression
• Improving problem-solving skills
• Establishing or building a sense of trust

A teen with mental health conditions or challenges can benefit from psychotherapy in a variety of dynamics, including individual, group and family sessions. At Lightfully, we implement all three into every level of care that we offer, including:

• Residential Treatment
• Partial Hospitalization Program 
• Intensive Outpatient Program

Every level consists of evidence-based, data-driven and whole-person-centered care provided by deeply compassionate experts to help your teen along their mental health journey.

Change is possible. When you’re ready to take the first step to help your teen’s mental health, reach out to our Admissions Concierge Team. We’ll take the next steps together, toward the fullest, brightest version of them.