Working with Couples and Families
Couples Therapy
Relationship breakdown is sadly all too common today. Although we all crave closeness and security in our relationships, many people are left feeling lonely and frustrated with their partners. The initial response is often to blame each other, or perhaps to feel burdened with guilt. Yet the real cause may not lie with the individuals as such, but rather in a damaging template of relationships learnt from their own families. Persisting with these failed strategies often leads to even more problems.
With couples therapy, individuals come to recognise how they express and experience intimacy. This helps them to take responsibility for their part in creating and maintaining the relationship, and teaches new and effective ways of being in a loving relationship.
Couples therapy offers a safe environment in which to:
Relationship breakdown is sadly all too common today. Although we all crave closeness and security in our relationships, many people are left feeling lonely and frustrated with their partners. The initial response is often to blame each other, or perhaps to feel burdened with guilt. Yet the real cause may not lie with the individuals as such, but rather in a damaging template of relationships learnt from their own families. Persisting with these failed strategies often leads to even more problems.
With couples therapy, individuals come to recognise how they express and experience intimacy. This helps them to take responsibility for their part in creating and maintaining the relationship, and teaches new and effective ways of being in a loving relationship.
Couples therapy offers a safe environment in which to:
- Understand the other person
- Learn how to communicate more effectively
- Recognise how one's own behaviour may unknowingly contribute to problems
- Express thoughts and feelings that have been held back
- Gain insight into the patterns of the relationship
Family Therapy
Families can be a source of support, safety, and belonging. However, they can sometimes develop destructive patterns in which individuals feel stuck in predictable and frustrating roles. As a result, conflicts, poor communication and lack of understanding occurs.
Family therapy can offer a place where these patterns are identified, individual voices heard, conflicts understood and new ways of relating learned.
Severe problems, such as addictions, eating disorders and even depression, may be an attempt by a person to solve a family problem. For example, anorexia may be an attempt to attract needed attention to the sufferer, or to bring his or her parents closer together. It is therefore important to understand symptoms in the context of the family.
With the therapist's help, and in an atmosphere free of blame, families come to understand how - usually unknowingly - they have maintained the problem, and then learn how to support individuals effectively.
Families can be a source of support, safety, and belonging. However, they can sometimes develop destructive patterns in which individuals feel stuck in predictable and frustrating roles. As a result, conflicts, poor communication and lack of understanding occurs.
Family therapy can offer a place where these patterns are identified, individual voices heard, conflicts understood and new ways of relating learned.
Severe problems, such as addictions, eating disorders and even depression, may be an attempt by a person to solve a family problem. For example, anorexia may be an attempt to attract needed attention to the sufferer, or to bring his or her parents closer together. It is therefore important to understand symptoms in the context of the family.
With the therapist's help, and in an atmosphere free of blame, families come to understand how - usually unknowingly - they have maintained the problem, and then learn how to support individuals effectively.
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Copyright Naomi Shragai 2010-11
Naomi Shragai BScOT MASysTh MSTAT
