Rehab Centers That Offer Family Therapy

Substance abuse disorders are often closely tied to genetics and family history, with a lack of support from the family being a strong contributing factor to the severity of a person’s addiction. Because of this, modern addiction recovery centers offer an abundance of evidence-based treatment options, with more and more treatment centers working to incorporate family members into the recovery process through varying types of family therapy.

Not only can family therapy promote family healing and communication, but it can also support the long-term recovery and well-being of any family member who is living with a substance use disorder (SUD).

Read on to learn more about the many benefits of family therapy as an addiction treatment tool, and more about how your own family can get started with this valuable treatment today.

Family therapy is a form of talk therapy or psychotherapy that involves the entire family and seeks to improve relationships and behaviors within the family unit.

While family therapy as a concept first appeared in the 1940s, it did not take off until the 1960s as a strong departure from more traditional forms of individual therapy.

Some of the biggest factors that influenced the creation of family therapy were the development of the field of social work and also the observance and study of communication systems.

Family therapy’s core principles:

• Improving communication through skills such as active listening and practicing empathy.
• Promoting support of each other so that each family member has a reliable support system at home during challenging times.
• Teaching conflict resolution techniques and coping skills so that family members can react to one another in healthier and more productive ways.

Numerous types of family therapy exist in rehab programs, each with its own specific goals and areas of focus.

Which type of therapy is used during addiction treatment will depend on what is available at the specific facility as well as what would be most beneficial to the clients.

Types of family therapy include:

• Structural family therapy – A type of family therapy that works to improve the family structure as a whole by strengthening communication and addressing the invisible rules that govern the family unit.
• Strategic family therapy – A type of family therapy that is used in a household where a young child or teen is struggling with behavioral issues by addressing issues within the family that are likely contributing to the young person’s behavioral problems.
• Systemic family therapy – A type of family therapy that encourages family members to share their emotions, thoughts, and experiences to help understand each other and make any necessary changes to improve the family environment.

Family involvement in addiction recovery can both improve relationships and communication within the family, as well as provide support to the family member who is living with addiction.

Challenging family dynamics are known to lead some people towards addiction as a means of coping with these issues through self-medication and avoidance.

This can be especially true in families where parents or siblings have a history of alcohol or drug use and where a person grows up exposed to addiction and with easy access to substances.

In addition to this, genetics can play a strong role in the presence of substance abuse, and those struggling with addiction are often eager to break the cycle before their children are negatively affected.

Family therapy in addiction treatment can help with family healing by guiding them with trust rebuilding and providing them with healthy tools to improve communication and promote conflict resolution and emotional healing.

This is typically done by treating the family and addressing their issues as a unit, rather than as a group of individuals.

This can be done by allowing each family member to share their own experience and perspective on an issue so that everyone else can hear and understand before the therapist addresses them all as one.

While not every rehab center offers family therapy as a treatment option, those that do offer numerous benefits through these family-integrated programs and a family-centered recovery process.

One of the biggest benefits of family therapy in rehab centers is that it provides education on addiction as a disease and helps the family understand what their loved one is dealing with and going through.

This enhanced understanding can improve the overall support system at home, as well as encourage open communication among family members, and allow everyone to feel more comfortable sharing their own experiences during therapy sessions.

With a stronger family support system in place and communication improvement, people can leave rehab knowing that they are supported at home and may have a significantly reduced chance of relapse.

Along these lines and with an increased understanding of relapse prevention, patients who have completed a rehab program with family therapy may have stronger hopes for staying sober in the long term.

In addition to the numerous types of family therapy available, several techniques and formats are used in addiction treatment.

As the name implies, multi-family group therapy is a type of group counseling that involves multiple families together during therapy sessions.

This type of therapy promotes both empathy and learning, as it allows for a compassionate and educational environment where families can learn new skills as well as bond through shared experiences.

Family behavioral therapy is a type of short-term therapy that works to optimize the thoughts and behaviors of the members of a family unit.

This is done through learning skills and coping mechanisms and by allowing the family to guide their treatment plan and goals, such as those to apply to substance use and mental health.

CBFT is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for families where the main focus is on identifying and treating negative thought patterns and related behaviors.

By addressing the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors within a family unit, CBFT can greatly improve communication and reduce conflicts as an addiction recovery technique, as well as improve the mental health of each family member on an individual basis.

When choosing a rehab center that offers family therapy, there are several things that you and your family should keep in mind.

It is always a good idea to look out for qualities in a treatment center that showcase marks of high-quality care.

Factors to consider when choosing a rehab center include:

• Rehab center accreditation as well as certifications and memberships within the wider addiction recovery community.
• Evidence-based treatments such as behavioral health therapy, detoxification, and different forms of aftercare.
• A rehab center that is positively reviewed in the local community and which has testimonials from clients to support it.
• A high success rate and a staff that is highly trained and certified.A facility that offers personalized treatment plans to suit individual needs.

Family therapy is offered within both inpatient and outpatient drug and alcohol abuse treatment programs, with the level of care typically chosen as a matter of preference, need, and cost.

Inpatient treatment, or residential treatment as it is also known, is often best for people who need 24/7 supervision for a severe addiction, with family members visiting them onsite to take part in family therapy.

With outpatient treatment, on the other hand, sessions can be scheduled as needed and when convenient for all family members, with everyone able to maintain their daily schedules and responsibilities outside of therapy and rehab.

Any family that chooses to engage in a family therapy program within rehab will find that it is important to find the right therapist who knows this specialized field.

When taking part in family therapy, it is essential to work with therapists who are trained, certified, and experienced in performing this type of therapy.

This is because it is the therapist’s responsibility to facilitate healing and guide the family’s interactions towards progress and positive outcomes, which can take a set of special skills and family therapy expertise in this unique setting.

Family therapist qualifications, at a minimum, are a master’s degree and at least two years of supervised clinical experience.

Effective family therapy usually involves trust-building and then maintaining a certain level of trust between the therapist and the family throughout the treatment process.

This is especially important as therapists must be able to manage difficult emotions and help to resolve family conflicts. This can be done through a variety of conflict management techniques, including positive reinforcement, narrative therapy, and role-playing.

Family therapy challenges can present unique problems, especially when family members are unwilling to participate or are uncomfortable with the treatment process.

When starting a family therapy program, it is not uncommon for one or more family members to feel resistance or hesitation towards the process because of issues such as fear, denial, or guilt.

Overcoming denial can be especially difficult, as it requires people to be self-aware and admit to themselves and their families that they have behaviors they may feel to be shameful or embarrassing.

And, while interventions can be used in extreme circumstances, it is ideal for family members to overcome resistance on their own and work with therapists to open up during therapy sessions.

Family therapy sessions can be complicated in that they are prone to bring up unresolved emotions and past trauma and may make some family members uncomfortable and even unwilling to participate.

Ways that therapists can counter this and promote family conflict resolution by teaching valuable coping skills such as mindfulness exercises, deep breathing, meditation, and grounding techniques to reduce stress levels and keep family members focused on recovery.

One of the biggest concerns that people often have about family therapy in rehab is the cost. However, family therapy costs are often more affordable than people may think.

It can be difficult to estimate an average cost for family therapy, as there are many factors involved in determining rehab program pricing.

For outpatient family therapy, people can generally expect to pay between $100 and $200 per session without insurance.

Factors that influence the cost of family therapy include:

• Duration and frequency of therapy sessions
• Level of care
• Location of alcohol and drug addiction facility
• Whether the facility accepts insurance
• Whether the facility offers financial assistance

Insurance typically does cover family therapy in drug and alcohol rehab centers, though the amount covered may vary at each center or with individual addiction treatment insurance plans.

The best way to find out if your family therapy will be covered by health insurance is to either speak with the treatment center directly or speak with your insurance provider directly before applying for admittance.

As new research is performed on the benefits of using family therapy in addiction treatment, new approaches and techniques are emerging as well to provide family-centered recovery options.

There are numerous family therapy trends emerging, including an emphasis on the importance of culture, using strength-based treatments, and an acknowledgment of the role that family plays in a person’s mental health and substance use.

There is also a growing trend of using technology in family therapy, such as allowing teletherapy and virtual family therapy sessions, so that families are able to access these services in the convenience of their own homes.

There is a growing need for family therapy in rehab centers, and healthcare providers and therapists around the United States are utilizing this service more and more in addiction treatment.

To go along with this expansion and provide addiction treatment innovations, many rehab facilities are offering family therapy as a core component of their treatment plans, along with both individual therapy and group therapy.

When finding a rehab center that offers family therapy, it is crucial to ensure that families feel welcome, comfortable, and accepted throughout treatment.

To locate a rehab center near you that offers family therapy rehab programs, you can use online directories, ask your physician or another mental healthcare provider, or seek out recommendations from people you know who are past clients.

In addition to seeking out rehab center resources and patient reviews, it is important to do your own research when looking at treatment comparisons to ensure that the facility is not only of good quality but it is also a good fit for you.

When choosing an alcohol and drug rehab center that offers family therapy, it is just as important to know the right questions to ask as it is to know what to look for.

Questions to ask when choosing a rehab center include:

• What types of family therapy do you offer?
• Do you offer other evidence-based treatments such as detox, support groups, and medication-assisted treatment (MAT)?
• How many sessions of family therapy are included in your program and how long is each session?
• What is the success rate of your rehab program?
• What credentials and special training do your staff members and family therapists have?

The following are frequently asked questions about the role of family therapy in substance abuse treatment programs.

If you or a loved one is struggling with substance abuse and in treatment or seeking treatment, it may be beneficial to consider family therapy as an option.

Not only can this type of therapy help to strengthen relationships during the recovery process, but it can help in several other ways including ensuring that people have a strong support system in place after addiction treatment is over.

No matter what you are seeking from your recovery experience, RehabNet.com is here to help. Contact us today for more information and to get started as soon as you are ready.