Addiction impacts more than just the person battling addiction. Families are on the battlefield right beside them and it can be extremely difficult to maintain healthy relationships when you are in the thick of it. There are many benefits of family counselling within addiction treatment.
Family counselling offers a space for loved ones to:
- come together
- express themselves
- learn about addiction
- rebuild open and trusting communication
Family counselling sessions help:
- develop and maintain healthy boundaries
- build empathy and communication
- reduce family conflicts
- Increase understanding of family dynamics
Addressing your needs.
The needs of family members can be overlooked or ignored when dealing with a loved one’s addiction. Family counselling benefits family members or other people in the household by providing support in areas that may otherwise not be able to be addressed. These sessions can provide communication bridging between members of the family, allowing everyone to get on the same page. It can be difficult to hear what one another is saying when you are dealing with your own emotions . Having a non judgemental person facilitating the conversation ensures everyone has a chance to be heard and understood. All parties are supported to express themselves and their feelings.
Relieving stress.
It can be highly stressful when you are living with or close to someone with an alcohol or drug problem. The concern you have for them, their safety, and possibly even your own safety can create a highly stressful environment. During these times it is common for family members to show high rates of symptoms of stress. This puts family members at risk of developing both physical and psychological issues as a direct result of stress.
Family Counselling sessions provide a safe space where these stresses can be explored. It allows time for processing of stresses and looking for healthy ways to manage them.
Rebuilding communication & trust.
Without healthy open communication it is extremely difficult to have trust. Once trust has been lost it also can take a lot of work to recover it. Without learning the tools to start rebuilding this, it is near impossible to gain that trust again. Counselling for families of addicts works to address the issues that have come about due to unhealthy actions. These sessions offer support to forgive, and encourage active participation in the addiction recovery process.
Family Counselling sessions are designed to help with developing and maintaining healthy boundaries, building empathy and communication, reducing family conflicts, and understanding the dynamics of the family as a unit.
Find out more about the range of services we provide for families as well as our Family Counselling in addiction treatment.