Our families are very important to us, but that doesn’t mean we always get along well with one another. While arguments are to be expected from time to time, more serious problems may require family counseling. The guide below can help you identify problems that are starting to spin out of control, so you can get the help your family needs.

4 Situations That May Require Family Counseling

1. Melding Two Families Into One

You don’t always have to wait until there’s a problem to seek out the services of a psychologist. In fact, a significant change to the family dynamic can go more smoothly with the help of a therapist. If you have children from a previous marriage and you remarry, counseling can help everyone adjust more easily to the new situation. If your new partner also has children, counseling can be even more beneficial by allowing the children to share their feelings about their new siblings.

2. A Withdrawn Family Member

In some cases, one person’s problem may require everyone to participate in family counseling. This type of situation is especially true if one family member is isolating themselves from everyone else in the household. This type of behavior can suggest a variety of problems, such as depression, drug addiction, sexual victimization, or other emotional problems. Participating in counseling with the entire family can begin to draw the individual out and get them to discuss the issues that are affecting them.

3. Emotional Outbursts 

Although emotional outbursts are more common with teens, anyone can exhibit this type of behavior, and it usually indicates an underlying problem. When those outbursts seem to be directed at a specific family member, there may be an unspoken issue with that one person. By taking advantage of counseling services, your family can explore why this individual is bottling up their emotions and releasing them in uncontrolled outbursts. Counseling can also help the individual learn better ways of expressing themselves.

4. Keeping Secrets

If you suspect your partner is keeping secrets, or if you’re keeping secrets from your partner, this can indicate problems with the relationship. There may be a lack of trust in the relationship, or other issues, which may be leading to the keeping of financial and romantic secrets. Ultimately, this type of situation will lead to the breakdown of the relationship, but the problems can be resolved through counseling. Seeing a therapist can help you and your partner settle the issues that are causing mistrust, fear, or other negative feelings.

Whenever you seek out the skills of a professional, their level of experience becomes an important factor. In seeking family counseling services, the experience becomes much more important. Feinberg & Associates Lexington, KY, has been offering the community counseling services for more than 25 years, so you can trust that they have the skills, compassion, and understanding to help your family deal with the issues that are affecting them. To learn more about their staff, visit their website. To schedule a session, call (859) 233-3390.