Healing the Home: Family Therapy in San Francisco

Does any group of people have a greater impact on your life than your family? Your family influences your daily well-being, happiness, and (in many cases) stress levels. When that stress gets out of control—or when your family is undergoing a sudden change or shift—it may be time to seek out a San Francisco family therapist.

Licensed marriage and family therapists (MFT) in San Francisco are trained to deal with the many variations of a modern family. Whether for the entire home or only a few members, therapy can bring your family back together when you need it most. Some circumstances where a San Francisco family therapist might be able to help:

Mental Illness or Learning Disability

When one person in your home is suffering from bipolar disorder, depression, ADD, ADHD, Down’s syndrome, or any other mental illness or learning disorder, it often affects everyone else in the family as well. If your family needs help coping with the daily stresses of dealing with special needs, a family therapist can design a plan that makes everyone feel a little more at ease.

Divorce or Separation

Divorce or separation doesn’t just affect a married couple. Children, too, will feel the sense of loss that comes from the end of a marriage. There will be fears, tension, anger, and sadness to be dealt with, and a trained San Francisco family therapist can help everyone sort through the strange emotions they may be feeling. Family therapy can also help young children understand that the end of their parents’ marriage is not their fault, and that both adults still love them. If remarriage becomes an option, then family therapy is also the ideal way to deal with the integration of step-siblings or a “new” parent. The key here is making sure that your children are comfortable and happy in their new home.

Poor Communication

Sometimes, families just need a little help learning how to communicate better with one another. Parents and teens, especially, often resort to shouting matches where no one is heard, and no one’s needs get met. Instead, a San Francisco family therapist can teach you more effective methods of communicating with each other. There are ways to be assertive without being aggressive, as well as ways to listen to what your teenager is saying without shutting them out completely. Learn them with the assistance of a family therapist.

Low Grades or Trouble at School

Often, a student’s poor conduct at school is a reflection of another, more deep seeded, problem. Instead of the constant cycle of punishment and continued bad behavior, why not discover the root of the problem with a visit to a family therapist? San Francisco’s family therapists are trained to work discreetly alongside the school system for integrated results.

Death of a Loved One

Whether it’s a parent, child, sibling, friend, or other close relationship, the death of a loved one can affect the entire family dynamic. San Francisco family therapy can guide the whole family through this difficult process.