Working with families in family counselling is very rewarding – often for all concerned in these sessions. Individuals in families can feel that they are unheard, unacknowledged and trapped in certain ways of being and behaving. Sometimes family members come to sessions feeling angry, hurt, taken for granted and sometimes just plain sad and helpless.
There is no reason why families can’t learn to work towards solving their problems, and solution-focused family counselling can be a step in the right direction. Here everyone has an opportunity to be heard and to express their views and they are often surprised at what they learn from each other.
I work with both nuclear and step-families and with adult siblings and their parents, of different races and from different cultures. As members of the family explore solutions to their issues, and make manageable changes, they often find it a positive and affirming experience, one which helps everyone move forward and maintain the changes they’ve made. Changes are not always easy to make but even small steps can make a big difference to family relationships.