What is family therapy or counselling?

Family counselling can help when siblings aren’t getting on, or when parents and children are going through a divorce or separation. Forming a new family is a challenge and it is at this point that many parents contact us for some support to help everyone settle. Or maybe your found family is looking to implement some new rituals and wants a bit of guidance.

What to expect in family counselling

Before any counselling begins, you’ll be asked to complete an initial assessment to make sure Relate is the right fit for your family. You will meet with a counsellor, who will provide confidential and non-judgemental support, and who will encourage everyone who comes to have their say and to share their feelings, if they wish.

At the first appointment, the counsellor will ask you to talk through what’s happening, and what you’d like to change. You will then work with the counsellor to decide what happens next.

Counselling is a different experience for everyone, and what happens in your sessions will depend very much on what you hope to get out of it, and on the unique needs of your family.

You can expect Family Counselling to help you to build stronger relationships between every member of the family and help you to work together as a team.

How family counselling can help

If you’re having problems as a family, whatever’s causing them, family counselling can help the whole family to communicate better, and to understand and resolve differences.

When families go through change, it can be difficult to learn to adapt. Counselling can help family members to support one another through these difficult times, to reduce conflict and arguments and grow stronger as a result.