It can be shocking to learn that one’s child or sibling or parent is an addict, and confusion may set in as to what to do. What needs to be done is to go for family counseling. Here are 4 things counselors can help families of addicts with:
1. Family Engagement
Counselors play an important role in making members of the family involved and engaged in supporting the addicted member.
Particularly for those uninterested in taking part in family therapy, counselors can make them see reason in it and change their minds. They serve as the mediator between the addicted member, their parents, and other members of the family.
2. Relational Reframing
One problem families with an addicted member face is a lack of perspective and understanding. With relational reframing, counselors can shift the minds of the addict and their family away from the individualistic approach.
Relational reframing helps to reframe thoughts and actions towards the benefit of the relationship, rather than personal benefit.
3. Family Behavior Change
The role of counselors becomes even more important in the aspect of behavioral change from both the addict and the family. Counselors help the addict drop the negative habit and correct the judgemental behaviors of family members.
They also help in the development of positive behaviors such as communication skills, proper expression of feelings, and balance creation on rules and restrictions.
4. Family Restructuring
Here, counselors are useful in helping to restructure the beliefs, cultures, premises, and standards of the family. There may be existent internalized toxic traits deemed normal in the family; counselors help to correct them. Thus, family life is restructured towards a healthy relationship with one another.
How the family responds or reacts to an addicted member goes a long way in aiding or hindering their recovery. Counselors help every member of the family understand their role in helping the addict recover, while still maintaining a healthy relationship with them.