Including family therapy as part of your overall addiction treatment can increase your chances of getting (and staying) sober, according to studies. This is because addiction takes a toll on the entire family and family therapy can help diminish the negative impact and set the stage for healthy and supportive relationships down the road.

Together, you’ll learn to listen better, build healthy boundaries, communicate more effectively, have greater empathy toward one another, and more emotional control – which, in turn, will help your recovery and your family dynamics.

For it to really work, however, you need to do work both inside and outside of your sessions. These tips can help:

• Be an active listener. Tuning out what you don’t want to hear or simply waiting for your turn to talk will prevent you from really hearing what your loved ones are saying. Instead, pay attention and ask questions so you can develop a deeper understanding of the topic at hand.
• Keep a therapy journal. After each session, take a few minutes to sit down in a quiet spot and jot down any questions, thoughts or feelings that came up in therapy. This will allow you to better absorb and reflect on your session and better prepare for the next one.
• Make time to mentally prepare. Get rest, go for a run, mediate, eat a healthy meal – any self-prep you can do to ensure that you greet each therapy session with an open mind and heart.
• Have patience. It can take time for your family to heal, so don’t give up too soon. Instead, celebrate the small successes and breakthroughs with your loved ones.

Family Treatment at Seabrook®
Seabrook has been helping families find the courage to recover since 1974. Our three-day Family Matrix Program allows families to begin to heal and strengthen the family bonds strained by addiction. To learn more, call today: (888) 223-0298.