Is Family Therapy Needed in Mental Health Treatment?

Mental illness can interfere with not just your mental well-being, but your physical health, quality of life, and relationships with others. Oftentimes, when an individual struggles with an untreated mental health disorder, this can fracture relationships with their loved ones. Fortunately, you can rebuild these relationships during recovery. In this article, you’ll learn more about family therapy mental health, and the many benefits of family therapy below. 

At Grace Recovery, we are a leading drug and alcohol rehab that offers a wide variety of addiction treatment options to help support your road to recovery. Our compassionate team of addiction specialists are here to help you heal and overcome addiction so you can lead a healthier, happier quality of life. Ready to start your recovery journey? Contact us today!

What is Family Therapy and Is It Essential?

Before diving into the question “is family therapy needed in mental health treatment”, it’s important to understand what family therapy is. Family therapy is a type of treatment where a patient is joined by family members and a licensed therapist who helps the family rebuild their relationships with one another. This includes improving communication among family members, working through any lingering conflict or resentment in the family, and even trying to build a sense of understanding of where each family member is coming from. 

Overall, family therapy can be a helpful way to rebuild relationships you may have hurt while struggling with your mental health or drug addiction issues. While family therapy isn’t needed to effectively receive mental health treatment to better manage your symptoms, it offers a great resource for patients, especially patients who have a fractured relationship with their family.

Benefits of Family Therapy in Mental Health Treatment

So, “is family therapy needed in mental health treatment”? 

The answer is no family therapy is not required; however, it can be an effective way to effectively rebuild your relationships. Below are several benefits of seeking family therapy in mental health treatment. 

Builds Support System

Your family members offer a great long-term support system to help you as you progress along your road to recovery. Managing your mental illness symptoms can be difficult; therefore, it is important for a patient to have a strong support network of family members, friends, and mental health professionals who can be there when they are going through the highs and lows of their mental illness. 

Improves Communication

Family therapy can help improve communication among family members. When there is a lack of consistent, healthy communication among family members, this can lead to not only a distancing of family members but also misunderstandings. During family therapy, a licensed therapist will help identify and resolve these communication issues that may be hurting your relationships with your family members. 

Resolves Conflict

Another reason you should consider seeking family therapy mental health treatment is because it is an effective resource for resolving conflict. Conflict can keep family members stuck in the past thinking about past hurts and mistakes. Family therapy offers a safe space to bring to light these conflicts in a healthy manner. 

Helps Heal Any Lingering Resentment

Family therapy can also work toward healing any lingering resentment a family member may have. For example, if the patient seeking mental health treatment experienced hurt from certain family members in their past, this can offer an effective time to work toward healing that hurt and lingering resentment they may have. 

Contact Grace Recovery Today to Learn More

Now you know more about the question “is family therapy needed in mental health treatment”. Family therapy is an effective way during addiction or mental health treatment to rebuild relationships you may have fractured because of your unresolved condition. Family therapy helps improve communication, resolve conflict, and build healthier relationships with family members who will support and love you along your recovery journey. 

Grace Recovery is committed to helping patients recover, heal, and change their lives for the better. Whether you are struggling with a substance use disorder or dual diagnosis, we offer a wide range of treatment options to ensure you receive the personalized care you need to best meet your unique recovery needs. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your road to recovery.