Family is important. They’re the people that you tend to look to during times of trouble and crisis, and also the people you look to for love and support. So when trouble happens in the family, most will try to deal with it on their own rather than seek counseling. But as families everywhere, from Westport to Los Angeles, find that dealing with it on their own tends not to address the problems entirely and may not find a lasting solution to their issues.
If you’re experiencing these three red flags in your family, consider searching for professional help before things get worse.
“We Never Talk Anymore”
Communication is vital in families. As with any relationship, being able to talk to each other helps in building trust and bonds with your family member. However, it’s not just talking, but also listening to each other happens to be key in communicating. So when you find that your family is giving each other the silent treatment more often than not, it’s often a sign that your family needs to seek help.
A lack of proper communication often stems from deeper issues like mental health, trauma, or misunderstandings that can be resolved by talking with a counselor that can help identify and address the heart of the matter.
“We All End Up Shouting”
On the other hand, if your family tends illicit extreme emotional responses such as anger, fear, or sadness every time you interact, there might be something that isn’t right there too. Yes, family members argue from time to time, but if the norm is starting to become just your family members having a shouting match, that becomes an unhealthy environment for the rest of your family. Not to mention the risks of verbal, as well as possible physical, abuse brought on by these emotional reactions. Seeking a counselor to help resolve the issues, as well as mend the fences between your family members, is the best way to prevent escalations from happening.
“We Used To Be Closer”
Often, trouble at home expresses itself through family members withdrawing from family activities. Rather than deal with the issues, or keep exposing themselves to what they deem as a stressful situation, family members would rather just tear themselves away from the situation altogether. However, these family members might unknowingly keep hurting themselves by making them feel isolated, as family is often the first social group a person will ever have. Rather than letting a family member isolate themselves and exacerbate any issues they might have, telling a counselor allows them to express their issues safely and allows the family to resolve it together.
A family counselor is, first and foremost, there to listen and act as a neutral party between family members. Things often left unsaid at home often lead to problems in other aspects of life, and seeing a counselor helps in identifying those before they do cause problems. If these things are happening to your family, please find a counselor to help you sort through your issues before it’s too late. It might just be the thing to help save your loving family and bring them back together.
