Family Therapy UK: Options To Find Support
Family therapy offers the opportunity for family members to explore their concerns in a safe, non-judgmental space. Family therapists can see families and couples in numerous organizations throughout the UK, and they can make a significant difference in the emotional health of a family as a whole as well as individual family members. Below, explore family therapy in the UK, types of family therapy, and where to find family and individual therapy.
Where do family therapists practice?
Family therapy UK: How it can help
Family therapy can help with a variety of family-related challenges. For example, a family therapist may help individuals within the family resolve conflicts and improve communication difficulties, whether between siblings or between parents and children. A family doesn’t have to have major family issues to benefit from therapy. Some families may choose to pursue therapy when going through a major life transition, such as a marriage, relocation to a new city, or the death of a loved one.
Systemic psychotherapy
Family therapists often help families through an approach called systemic psychotherapy. Systemic therapy typically focuses on treating groups of individuals as a system. This type of therapy can be used with any group of people that make up a system, including friends, coworkers, and family members. One of the core tenets of systemic therapy is the notion that when part of a system is broken, the whole system is affected. Systemic practice allows each individual in the family unit to discuss their feelings in a supportive environment. This process may start to heal wounds and repair communication challenges.
Functional family therapy
Family therapists may also use an approach called functional family therapy (FFT). FFT is a type of family counselling that can be especially useful for families with young people who are experiencing behavioral challenges, such as disciplinary problems in school or substance use. FFT may improve parenting skills and enhance relationships among the entire family, which may help with a child’s behavioral difficulty.
Structural family therapy
Structural family therapy tends to focus on a family's structure, including its boundaries and hierarchies. Families who participate in structural family therapy may find that, with the therapist’s guidance, they can find their own solutions to unhelpful patterns of communication.
Where to find online mental health professionals who treat families
Some online family therapists advertise their services on their own websites, while others are listed in an online therapy directory in the UK. With online therapy, families can often choose a therapist from anywhere in the UK. This option might be helpful for those who prefer to find a professional outside their local community or those who are looking for a therapist with experience helping families with specific challenges.
What if someone in your family doesn’t want to see a family therapist?
Some people might have family members who are not currently open to family therapy. In these situations, getting help through individual online therapy is still possible. With an online therapy platform like BetterHelp, individuals can speak with a professional counsellor who understands the challenges of having family members who cannot or will not attend therapy. Online therapy allows you to connect with a therapist in the most comfortable way, whether by phone, video, or live chat. In addition, online therapy may be more cost-effective.
Over the last 15 years, numerous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of online therapy. In one systematic review and meta-analysis, researchers found that online cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) was effective for generalized anxiety disorder, depression, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, and substance use disorders, among others.
Takeaway
In some cases, people may not know how to approach the topic of family therapy with their loved ones. Other times, certain family members refuse to participate. When this occurs, support is still available through individual therapy, both in person and online. Contact a provider to receive more personalized guidance if you’re experiencing family challenges or other personal concerns.
Frequently asked questions
Is there free family therapy (UK-specific)?
Families can often find free family therapy funded by the NHS. However, availability may vary by location. For couples seeking counseling, one option is counseling funded through GroceryAid. Couples may be able to receive up to six sessions of therapy funded by GroceryAid.
What do family therapists help with?
Family therapists can typically help with a wide variety of challenges affecting families. They often help families experiencing major transitions, such as separation or divorce. Family therapists may also be able to help when young people are having behavioral challenges. If someone in a family is experiencing a mental illness, a family therapist may be able to help the other family members develop a deeper understanding of the disorder and find strategies to cope with challenges that stem from the illness—while also protecting their own mental health.
Does a family therapist treat mental health problems?
A family therapist may be able to help families who are adjusting to a family member's mental health diagnosis. The individual may receive some individual therapy or medication. Still, a family therapist may be able to help with symptoms and help everyone in the family navigate challenges related to the mental disorder.
What kind of therapy is best for family challenges?
Many therapists often use functional family therapy (FFT) for family challenges. FFT may be especially useful for families with children experiencing behavioral challenges. A therapist might use FFT to improve family dynamics and encourage positive reinforcement, which may improve behavior.
What does systemic psychotherapy consist of?
Systemic psychotherapy typically focuses on improving relationships among various members of a family system. Therapists who practice systemic therapy may be able to identify long-held patterns of communication among family members. This process may lead to better communication and allow family members to move forward together.
What is the success rate of family therapy?
According to the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, approximately 90% of patients experienced better emotional health after therapy. In cases where a child was the primary patient, parents saw an improvement in behavior in 73.7% of cases. Parents also reported improved school performance and improved interactions with other children.
How much does family therapy cost in the UK?
Family therapy has varying costs depending on the method of therapy you choose and the therapist you connect with. However, on average, you may expect to pay around 70 to 150 pounds for family life therapy sessions. You may be able to find a sliding-scale option with the right therapist, which can help you lower this cost if urgent.
What are the disadvantages of family therapy?
Family therapy may have some disadvantages for those who aren’t comfortable discussing emotional challenges in front of the whole family or for the children if they believe their voice isn’t being heard throughout the course of therapy and don’t want to take part. With groups, there is often a risk of a dynamic developing during family therapy sessions, where one or more people take sides and contribute to relationship difficulties. These dynamics can be difficult in clinical work, as there is only one room and one therapist. However, with time and the proper strategies, conflicts like these can often be worked out healthily.
What are the five stages of family therapy?
The five stages of strategic family therapy include the social stage, the problem stage, the interactional stage, the goal-setting stage, and the task-setting stage. Many other modalities of family therapy exist that might not have the same structure. Consult family therapists before starting sessions to learn more about the structure and potential treatment plans.
When is family therapy not suitable?
Family therapy is not recommended in cases of abuse, parents who are having a heated divorce with their children involved, or when the sessions would harm the mental health of any of the clients, especially if the client is a minor. Since children may not be able to consent to therapy until a certain age, they often rely on their parents to make decisions that put them in healthy situations. Therapy can be harmful if parents are using it for the wrong reasons, and a therapist may not always be able to pick up on abuse, especially emotional abuse.
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