Addiction can have a huge impact on a person's family, friends and colleagues.
Family therapy can help everyone affected by an addiction to understand each other once again and move forward as a support network that can look after one another.
When does family therapy take place?
Family therapy typically takes place after a person has gone through an addiction programme at Priory. When a person is going through their treatment, their family may be invited in to learn about the disease of addiction and the behaviours of an addict.
When the person has completed their inpatient addiction programme, the family can then come together in a therapeutic environment to learn strategies for life outside of addiction. Typically the sessions happen weekly or fortnightly, but this depends entirely on the group and their circumstances.
What happens during family therapy?
Family therapy sessions will include the person who has gone through Priory’s addiction programme as well as the people who will form part of their support network, which may contain family, friends and even colleagues.
During the sessions, everyone will work at the following:
- Talking through the causes that led to addiction
- Working through complex issues with the guidance of a therapist
- Acknowledging other people's thoughts and feelings
- Communicating effectively with all family members
- Learning strategies that they can put in place for life outside of addiction
The therapeutic setting is a safe space where everyone can learn how to readjust and support their loved one through recovery. It gives you the opportunity to make specific and positive steps to improve day-to-day life and relationships.
As everyone talks through the reasons behind the addiction, and works to find approaches for life in recovery, this can help to strengthen relationships that may have previously been damaged.
Those within the sessions become a support system for the person in recovery. Stepping back out into the world after rehab is intimidating and can be very scary, as the person has to return to their normal life without going back to their old habits. As recovery is not something someone should face alone, family therapy ensures a person has the help and support they need to make it happen.
