The Benefit Of Family Vs. Individual Therapy

Written By Lizzie Weakley / Reviewed By Ray Spotts

Autism, ADHD, and other mental health issues are characterized by an impairment in communication and social interactions. These issues can affect relationships between parents and siblings. Family therapy is an intervention with the potential for fostering developmental progress.

Here are the benefits of family therapy for children compared to individual sessions.

Alleviate Family Stress and Strife

Children with certain issues can cause parents and the child's siblings a lot of stress. In the early years, family members may experience anguish as they attempt to diagnose the child's condition.

Siblings often feel jealous or embarrassed of the attention the child is receiving. Family members may be overwhelmed by the caretaking responsibilities. All those factors can cause strife between family members.

The primary role of therapists is to address the unmet needs of the family. ABA Adaptive Services counselors engage family members and assist them in enhancing communication and strengthening relationships. Family therapists work with parents to develop a unified approach to parenting a child who struggles with mental health disorders.

Break Negative Cycles

Managing certain disorders requires a calm and stable home environment and caring family members. But fighting within the family can worsen the symptoms of the condition. In turn, the family experiences even more stress, creating an unending cycle.

Therapy equips family members with resources and information to create supportive environments. Counselors can direct parents to effective treatment options for their children. Most therapy sessions aim to break the negative cycle and foster developmental progress.

Address Behavioral Problems

All family members face unique challenges dealing with a struggling child. Therapists motivate families to explore the unmet needs of individual members. It encourages the family to work together to effectively address challenges and create a positive environment for the child.

Develop a Supportive Environment for Children with Autism

Research shows a correlation between parental stress and a child's development. Unlike a behavioral psychiatrist, a family therapist evaluates the emotional and psychological well-being of all members.

Additionally, the therapist will assist the child in developing communication and social skills. Rather than work with a psychiatrist, the parent can consult a therapist on tantrums and other behavioral challenges.

Parents need support to develop self-care and manage stress. By empowering both the child and the family members, the therapy creates a positive environment for faster developmental progress.

Conclusion

A comprehensive treatment plan is necessary for children with autism. Family therapists are critical in guiding parents facing stress, strife, and work-family balance. They can offer psycho-education on dealing with the challenges of raising an autistic child. Family therapy provides the support parents and the child need for healthy development.

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Written By:

Lizzie Weakley is a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors and walks in the park with her three-year-old husky, Snowball.

Reviewed By:

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.