Family Counseling

Family counseling may be the answer to getting your family focused on what matters. if you feel like your family is scattered, yet under the same roof. Maybe the kids are always isolating themselves and seem to lack an interest in family time.

Life gets busy for so many of us. Sporting commitments, academic requirements, and career responsibilities keep everyone moving in different directions. Sometimes this can cause issues and you may feel like you need someone to help your family get back on track.

You may have gotten caught up in raising kids or creating a career. This may have created a chasm in the family. Several issues can create discontent in the family. The counselors at Heath Christian Counseling are committed to helping you assess the issues and create a counseling plan for your family.

God designed families to be led by the parents so that the children would grow in His instructions. He created the family dynamic to work according to His plans so that the family would grow together spiritually.

Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not become bitter against them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not antagonize your children, so that they will not become discouraged. Colossians 3:18-21, NASB

In a world that tells us to “do what makes you feel good,” the family unit has lost the top billing on the list of priorities. But you can restore its high position with God’s help and a trusted counselor’s guidance.

There are many areas family counseling can address. Each family is unique and therefore requires unique strategies to maintain a healthy family unit. At Heath Christian Counseling, you will find the right strategy to help you create the peaceful home environment your family deserves. The first step in strengthening the family is to strengthen the family relationships.

The family unit is unique because there is more than one relationship involved in the overall dynamic. Each relationship must be addressed to create a unit that will connect and react as a whole. Learning to encourage each of those relationships is one way to strengthen the overall family dynamic. Just as God intended for His children to work together to edify the church, each family member needs to learn how to edify each other.

Let’s hold firmly to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let’s consider how to encourage one another in love and good deeds, not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. Hebrews 10:23-25, NASB

The main relationship in the family unit is the one between parents. If this relationship is not healthy, then maybe it wouldn’t hurt to invest in marriage counseling. The better the parent relationship, the better the family relationship will be.

Knowing how to work together as parents will enhance the leadership needed as the parents of the family unit. Children are always watching your behavior, so prioritizing the parent-to-parent relationship matters. God desires that parents would reflect His principles to their children.

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so must you do also. In addition to all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Colossians 3:12-14, NASB

The most common area of discrepancy in the parent relationship is communication. Learning to understand what causes miscommunication is vital to learning how to overcome the issue. This is achieved by developing the skill set that encourages listening as well as communicating. Engaging in meaningful conversations encourages the family as a whole. Anytime you can remove conflict from the relationship, you will find an easier way to reach resolutions.

The second relationship is the one between each parent and child. This can be quite overwhelming when you think about them on different levels. If you have three children then you have three separate child relationships you must learn to navigate. Each child is different and therefore will require a different type of relationship. If there is a mental health issue or other factors this will intensify that relationship. Learning to parent them separately but together is a key to keeping the family dynamic working properly.

God describes the parent-child relationship many times in His word. He desires that all children feel loved and treasured, just as He treasures and loves each of us.

Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Psalm 127:5, NASB

The third relationship of the family unit is the one between the children. Because each child is different, this relationship can be so demanding on the family. Much conflict within the family stems from sibling rivalry.

Children simply want what they want. However, as they grow their thought processes become influenced easily by others. Understanding how each child comprehends and reacts is vital to understanding how to overcome rivalry.

Learning to apply biblical principles to create a calming environment is one way to overcome rivalry. The counselors at Heath Christian Counseling can help you understand these principles and how to apply them to your family relationships.