Family therapy can help you resolve conflicts, work out deep issues, and improve communication with your loved ones. If you’re thinking about starting therapy, you should consider how many sessions you might need. The length of your therapy might differ depending on specific elements. Here are a few factors that may determine the number of sessions you or your family require:
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The Issues That Need To Be Addressed
Your family can attend therapy for varying reasons. Those reasons might impact how many sessions you need. Issues that counseling may fix include the following:
- Strained relationships
- Stress and anger
- Death of a loved one
- Physical and emotional trauma
- Coping with a life-threatening illness of a family member
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Substance abuse
If you have a strained relationship with your teenager, the number of sessions might be fewer than someone seeking help on how to recover from sexual abuse. Your family could go for therapy with one issue and a therapist could discover other underlying problems that need additional treatment.
The Treatment Plan
A therapist can recommend a treatment plan, depending on the issue to be addressed within your family. Your treatment can either be long or short based on your family’s circumstances and needs. You can work with your therapist to create a suitable treatment plan.
A counselor can change the treatment plan to suit your needs during your recovery. This approach could lead to increased sessions, but it may also make a positive impact. Therapeutic approaches that experts use include:
- Acceptance and commitment therapy
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Creative and expressive therapies
- Dialectal behavioral therapy
- Motivational interviewing
The Dedication and Commitment
You can make goals as a family of what you intend to achieve at the end of your therapy. Restoring broken relationships or improving communication could be an example of your goals. If you are committed to working hard to achieve those specific goals, your sessions might be shorter.
Putting time and effort into counseling can foster healing within a reasonable period. If one family member isn’t attending therapy, you may not get the expected results. Your sessions could drag on for a longer period of time due to a lack of dedication and commitment.
The Unexpected Setbacks
Unexpected changes and setbacks may affect the length of your therapy journey. If your family finds it hard to cope with new challenges, the number of sessions could increase. The following events can interfere with your counseling sessions:
- Loss of a loved one
- Grief
- Financial issues
If you have financial troubles, you might have to pause until you get money or insurance to pay for your sessions. These changes can add stress to you and your family, potentially lengthening your treatment. A therapist can help you and your family set new goals and adjust your treatment to suit these new challenges.
The Therapist You Choose
You can choose a therapist depending on your needs, budget, and location. The counselor you pick may determine the number of sessions you’ll attend. Here are a few qualities to look for in a family therapist:
- Culturally sensitive
- Ethical
- Trustworthy
- Licensed
- Problem solver
- Non-judgmental
When you look for an experienced therapist, find someone who is willing to discuss a potential time frame. Some therapists also offer online or in-person sessions that vary in length.
Get Comprehensive Family Therapy
The number of family therapy sessions that you’ll need can depend on the treatment plan, the issues at hand, the therapist, and your commitment. Working with a reliable and qualified therapist can help you get the right treatment. As everyone’s therapy journey is unique, don’t be discouraged if your healing takes weeks, months, or even years.