Addiction affects more than the person who is abusing drugs or alcohol. It affects everyone around them. Work and personal relationships suffer; without a family therapy program, they may never heal completely. The goals for successful family therapy are to help family members work on their communication skills and rebuild broken relationships and trust. The treatment goals for family therapy will benefit everyone in the family, not just the patient.
Arkview Recovery Center’s family therapy program is very beneficial in treating addiction. If you or a family member lives with a worsening addiction, call our supportive staff at 717.744.0756 or complete our online form to learn more about treatment goals for family therapy. Maintaining recovery will be difficult without an encouraging home environment with open communication and trust.
5 Goals for Successful Family Therapy
It can be beneficial to set goals for family therapy. These can include:
1. Understanding Addiction and Mental Health Issues
Many still believe addiction is a social issue, not a mental health disorder. Drug and alcohol abuse can change thought patterns and brain chemistry. The patient will be aware of the harm they are causing themselves and others but are powerless against their cravings.
These cravings create painful withdrawal symptoms that make it extremely difficult to get through without the help of an addiction treatment center. At Arkview Recovery Center, our goals of family therapy are for everyone to understand addiction better and see what it will take to break free from the addiction.
2. Improved Communication Skills
A lack of open and honest communication at home creates an environment where addiction can grow without anyone knowing. Talking with each other is vital to understand feelings and to discover hidden issues behind the addiction.
One of the goals of successful family therapy is to teach you how to communicate with each other without the anger or fear that uncomfortable conversations about addiction can cause. You will better understand each other’s feelings and begin to heal and build a stronger family bond.
3. Regaining Trust
When someone is addicted to drugs and alcohol, they will do anything to get what they want. Lying and stealing from friends and family is a common symptom of addiction and creates heavy mistrust among family members.
4. Understanding the Root Causes of Addiction
The patient may not understand why they are addicted or can’t quit. It is common to blame the addiction on someone else instead of taking responsibility for it. During family therapy, we will explore the root causes and triggers that lead to addiction to break free from it and become healthier. Understanding where the addiction comes from is critical.
5. Reconnecting with Family
Addiction creates a barrier between family members. Goals for successful family therapy should include helping the patient and their family reconnect, forgive, and move forward together. This is an essential step to ensure that the recovery process is successful in the long run.
There are many goals for successful family therapy to help with addiction recovery. After enrolling in an addiction treatment program, a therapist will evaluate you and design a treatment program that will include family therapy to give you the best chances at sustainable, life-long recovery.
Benefits of Family Therapy
The benefits of a successful family therapy program are different for every patient. Because addiction often stems from troubled family life or a lack of healthy communication skills, one of the main benefits of successful family therapy is a better understanding of the family dynamic and how it relates to the patient’s addiction.
A successful family therapy program will:
- Have a safe space to share feelings
- Discuss family dynamics and interpersonal conflicts
- Include role-playing activities
- Discuss mental health issues
- Develop healthier communication strategies
- Help to build trust between family members
- Create a plan for relapse prevention and aftercare
Family therapy is essential to recovering from addiction and can help create a strong network of support for the patient.
Choose Arkview Recovery Center for Family Therapy
At Arkview Recovery Center, we offer many treatment programs to help you succeed in your addiction treatment program, including:
- Detox program
- Residency program
- Partial hospitalization program
- Intensive outpatient program
- Medication-assisted treatment
Family therapy is a vital step in any successful addiction treatment program. As the saying goes, it takes a village, and your family is your village. The more involved everyone is in your addiction recovery, the better chances of maintaining sustainable, life-long recovery.
If you or a family member struggles with drug or alcohol addiction, call 717.744.0756 or complete our online form today to learn more about our family therapy program and the goals for successful family therapy.
Kyle is Lead Therapist at Arkview Recovery Center. He holds a Master of Social Work degree from Temple University and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. He has years of experience working directly with individuals who suffer from addiction and mental health disorders. Being in long term recovery himself, Kyle is very passionate about the recovery process. He is heavily involved in the local recovery community in which he enjoys his commitments to service and giving back. His specialty is in group therapy and developing clinical staff. Kyle brings to Arkview a holistic approach to recovery, specializing in mindfulness, reality therapy, and solution-focused therapy.
