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Family Systems Therapy at The Raleigh House

Addiction is a debilitating chronic illness that affects an entire family. By addressing the causes, symptoms, and results of substance use as a family, you give yourself an excellent chance of long-term recovery.

The phrase “family systems” describes the tapestry of interconnected relationships that exist within a family. When one family member has a substance use disorder, the rest of the family is affected in various ways. The family witnesses, and often experiences, the agony of the loved one’s struggle with dependency.

Family members might try to compensate for the person struggling with addiction. This can involve adopting a particular role within the family unit, sometimes by taking on the burden of solving family problems. Troublingly, some family members might also respond to their loved one’s addiction in unhealthy or unhelpful ways. When addiction enters the family ecosystem, it can disrupt the entire structure.

Family systems therapy involves treatment programs that address family dynamics and how they influence patterns of substance misuse. At The Raleigh House, we understand the pain of addiction and the heartbreak of watching a loved one battle substance dependency. When you take the journey to recovery as a family, you recover together.

What is Family Systems Therapy?

Therapeutic intervention for families struggling with addiction can take several forms. On the whole, family systems therapy strives to create strategies that promote sobriety, reduce the likelihood of substance reuse, and strengthen the family bond. Although the person with the dependency will have to undergo treatment programs that address their addiction and coexisting mental health challenges, the family will play a pivotal role in creating and maintaining a supportive network during the process. Family systems therapy provides tools that help loved ones facilitate healing throughout the family unit.

Types of Family Systems Therapy

There are four commonly accepted therapeutic approaches. These are:

• Bowenian. This technique is a clinical approach that addresses how the family dynamics across generations affect family members individually. This treatment can be performed with or without the family members present.
• Strategic. This intervention is a targeted approach designed to address how family interactions specifically influence and are influenced by the family member’s addictive behaviors.
  Structural. This treatment is an immersive, in-depth form of therapy that involves identifying the whole-family patterns of communication and interaction before addressing individual behaviors.
• Systemic. This type of therapy isolates the behavior patterns of individual family members within the context of the family structure. This intervention is performed in a group setting.

Your team of counselors will help you determine the best approach for addressing unhealthy family patterns and guide you through the therapeutic process.

Confronting previous behaviors can be difficult for the family members of clients struggling with addiction. They might be reluctant to participate due to painful histories or lingering feelings of resentment. However, the objective is not to assign blame. Repairing and preserving healthy family relationships might involve numerous challenges, but it not only benefits your recovery, it can help your loved ones feel heard and valued, too.

We understand that family participation cannot be guaranteed. Above all, we want your experience to be safe and productive. However, we encourage our clients to explore their family relationships and how they might have influenced their addictive behaviors. This is a critical component of recovery. When you reenter your everyday life, you will need effective, productive strategies for coping with family conflict.

The Raleigh House Family Systems Therapy

At The Raleigh House, we offer clients a multidisciplinary team of specialists trained to help people with substance use disorders navigate family relationships successfully. Whether your family elects to participate in your recovery or not, we will provide you with the support and resources you need to achieve long-term sobriety. If you need help, please call us today.

Your Journey to Recovery Starts at The Raleigh House.