Taking care of your mental health can feel like a big task, especially if you’re trying to do it by yourself. The good news is that you don’t have to navigate your mental health alone. A good mental health treatment provider will offer various ways for you to get the support you need. Helpful approaches might include one-on-one therapy, support groups and family-based therapy. Family therapy is a way for loved ones to be part of the healing process. It’s meant to help families work together to support each other, understand mental health challenges and build healthier relationships.

When family members learn how to help, it can make a big difference. Family-based therapy doesn’t mean just sitting in a room and talking. Whether you’re engaging in family therapy as part of your treatment plan or supporting a family member on their own mental health journey, it’s about learning new ways to communicate, set boundaries, and support one another in a positive way. After participating in family therapy, almost 90% of people report an improvement in their emotional health, according to Cleveland Clinic.

6 ways family-based therapy can help you

• Improves communication — Talking about emotions isn’t always easy. Sometimes families struggle to communicate. Maybe there are a lot of misunderstandings, or perhaps no one really talks about feelings. In therapy, family members learn how to listen and share their thoughts in a way that is clear and supportive. For example, instead of saying, “You always ignore me,” you can learn to say, “I feel hurt when I don’t feel listened to.” Small changes in how families talk can make a big difference. Improving family communication can be essential to discussing challenging topics like mental health concerns.
• Lessens loneliness — Family therapy can help you feel less alone. When you’re dealing with anxiety, depression or any other mental health concern, you might feel like no one understands what you’re going through. Family-based therapy can help your loved ones see what’s really happening and how they can support you. Feeling heard and understood can be a huge relief.
• Shows how to help — People often want to help family members who are managing mental health challenges. Your family may want to help you but not know how. They might say things like “Just be positive” or “Snap out of it,” thinking they’re helping when those words actually tend to make things worse. Family-based therapy sessions can show families what is actually helpful and how they can offer support in a way that is productive and empathetic to everyone.
• Identifies patterns — Families often fall into habitual patterns in their interactions. For example, people in your family might have a habit of escalating small disagreements into big arguments. Perhaps there’s a lot of arguing in your family, or maybe people shut down and don’t talk at all. Patterns like this can make mental health challenges worse. Fortunately, family therapy can help raise awareness of harmful patterns. Once your family sees the negative patterns, everyone can work on changing them so that your home feels more supportive and less stressful.
• Encourages boundaries — A boundary is a kind of rule. You can set boundaries to help protect your time, energy and emotions. They can help you feel safe and respected. Family therapy teaches people how to set boundaries with family members. For example, a therapist might help you tactfully set boundaries by saying things like “I need time alone to recharge” or “I can’t take on more responsibilities right now.” Family therapy can also teach family members how to respect one another’s boundaries without feeling rejected.
• Reduces resentment — Even when you’re not on the best terms with your family members, family-based therapy can still be helpful. Working through grudges and resentment can be a good way to improve your mental health. This doesn’t mean you need to completely forget about bad things family members have done in the past. However, sometimes forgiveness can be more for you than for them. Holding on to anger can be like drinking poison and hoping the other person will get sick. Your negative feelings won’t necessarily hurt the person you feel angry toward, but those feelings can hurt you. Working through resentment may help you move past negative feelings and potentially even mend relationships you value.

At Lightfully, we’re committed to providing clearly defined, data-driven and whole-person-centered care. Our treatment programs involve an integrated approach that incorporates multiple forms of treatment, including continual family-based therapy sessions.

Change is possible. When you’re ready to take the first step, reach out to our Admissions Concierge Team. We’ll use treatments like family therapy to take the next steps together, toward the fullest, brightest version of you.