Family Therapy for Addiction – Healing Together as a Unit

Addiction can feel like a very isolating disease. However, the effects of it are felt by family and loved ones. Addiction can cause significant strain on the family unit, leading to misunderstandings, damaged trust, emotional pain, and lasting trauma.

Family therapy is a powerful tool used in addiction treatment. It addresses the far-reaching impact of addiction on loved ones and helps to open the door to healing. 

At Massachusetts Center for Addiction, we offer family therapy to support the individual and their loved ones. Through family therapy, we offer a safe environment to heal, provide coping strategies, and support each person involved along this journey.

Let’s take a closer look at what family therapy for addiction is and why it is so beneficial in addiction rehab. 

Understanding Family Therapy in Addiction Treatment 

Family therapy in addiction treatment is a type of counseling that brings family members and loved ones into the recovery process. It helps them better understand addiction as a disease, develop a more realistic perspective on what their loved one is going through, and work through how addiction has impacted their lives in a healthy way. 

Through family therapy, everyone learns how to work together and how to rebuild relationships after the often damaging effects of addiction. Family therapy offers a supportive environment where healthy boundaries can be established and healing can begin. 

If your loved one is struggling with addiction, the Massachusetts Center for Addiction offers support for the individual and their family. We also recommend contacting the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which offers a wealth of resources for families affected by addiction. 

The Important Role of Family in Addiction Recovery 

Family support is incredibly important to a successful recovery from addiction. When an individual has support from their family, it helps to promote and support healing. It’s also essential for repairing and rebuilding healthy family relationships. 

Family members are often deeply affected by addiction. However, sometimes, the inability to effectively cope with dysfunctional family relationships can lead a person to turn to drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism. This increases the risk of addiction, and relapse after recovery. 

Family therapy provides the tools to build healthy relationships, understand the importance of accountability, begin healing, and become supportive of each other. 

How Therapy Benefits All Family Members 

Family therapy is beneficial to the person going through addiction treatment, as well as every member of the family. Here are a few of the benefits family therapy offers:

• Improved communication skills
• Offers a safe space for open dialog
• Conflict resolution skills 
• Addiction education 
• Learning how to set healthy boundaries 
• Emotional support for everyone involved

What To Expect in Family Therapy for Addiction 

The process of family therapy for addiction will look a bit different for each family based on their unique dynamics. What each person can expect is for sessions to be led by a licensed therapist who is specifically trained and experienced in addiction recovery, and how the disease affects relationships. This includes individual relationships, as well as the family dynamics as a whole. 

Participants in family therapy can expect to focus on:

• Therapeutic exercises that help to reveal healthy and unhealthy relationship patterns 
• Role-playing is sometimes used in family therapy for addiction
• Structured discussions where each person’s voice and thoughts are listened to and validated 
• Conflict management skills that help families cope with tension and disagreements in a healthy way 
• Trust building exercises 
• Goal setting for improving communications, reducing conflict, building trust, and creating a strong, supportive family system

Does Family Therapy Complement Individual Addiction Treatment 

Family therapy is an incredibly effective complement to individual addiction treatment. Traditional addiction treatments focus on the individual. This happens through individual outpatient therapies, as well as in group therapy settings. 

Family therapy takes the focus off of just the individual and addresses the broader dynamics of family relationships in recovery. The importance of a strong family support system for addiction recovery can’t be overstated. By fostering healthy relationships, reducing codependency, and enabling behaviors, family therapy helps to position the individual, and their loved ones, for long-term success. 

Healing from Addiction for the Whole Family

Family therapy can be a transformative experience in addiction treatment. By providing families the tools to heal and support each other, relationships grow stronger and the risk of addiction relapse decreases. At Massachusetts Center for Addiction, our family therapy program has helped many families recover and move on from addiction. Contact us today at 844-486-0671 to learn more about our family therapy services and how we can help you and your loved ones heal from the damage caused by addiction.