The forest would be very quiet if only the birds that sing the best raised their voices.— Henry van Dyke
Family therapy can be useful when the atmosphere in a family has temporarily become difficult. Individual family members may experience temporary or established difficulties in interaction, and these difficulties affect the whole family. The aim is not to look for one guilty person but to understand the patterns that maintain the situation and to find new ways of being together.
More information
When can family therapy help?
Family therapy may be needed when a family faces a crisis, a major change, illness, separation, loss or concerns about a child's development. It can also help when communication has become difficult or when the same conflicts keep returning.
The family is treated as a whole. Each family member has a possibility to be heard, including children and young people in a way that suits their age. The therapist helps the family notice its resources and supports a more open conversation.
The work can include meetings with the whole family, with parents or with individual family members. The form is adjusted to the situation. The aim is a safer atmosphere, better understanding and more flexible interaction.
I am a member of the Finnish Family Therapy Association and follow its ethical guidelines in my therapy work.
Practical information
A session normally lasts 90 minutes. Meetings may take place weekly or at longer intervals; in a deep crisis they can be arranged more frequently. Family therapy requires several meetings and may be a longer process.