Family Counselling and Therapy In Singapore
Partnering with you in overcoming challenges
to get back to living life the way you want to
Families can come into turmoil when there is a family crisis like death of a loved one, divorce, serious illness, or financial losses. Families can also come into turmoil when relationships with one another have become strained, or when one or more family members are suffering from a mental health or addiction issue.
Families can also become stressed whenever there is a transition in the family structure and dynamics like having a newborn. Whatever the issue is, family therapy can help.
Family therapy is a type of therapy where the whole family unit or some family members engage in therapy together. It aims to help families better understand one another, strengthen their relationships, and resolve conflicts in a constructive manner. It can be a great way to bring family members closer together and create a healthier, happier home.
Types of issues Family Counselling can help with:
- Communication problems
- Conflicts within the family
- Siblings rivalry
- Mental health concerns of a child or parent
- Conflicts arising from different parenting styles
- Challenges in parenting
- Unexpected death of a loved one
- Challenges in family transitions eg newborns
- Conflicts surrounding lifestyle choices, religion, or spirituality
- Intergenerational conflicts
- Emotional and behavioral issues in children
- Strained parent child relationship after divorce
- Divorce adjustment difficulties
Benefits & outcomes of Family Therapy include:
- Improve communication with each other
- Improve emotional connection and trust between family members
- Reduce conflict and distress between each family member
- Improve empathy and understanding for each other
- Improve family bonding and unity in the family unit
- Develop and maintain healthy boundaries
- Improve problem solving by better understanding of dynamics and needs for each family member
How Our Family Therapy Works
At Sylvia Tan Psychology Consultancy, we have extensive experience in providing comprehensive family therapy that not only addresses the issues at hand but also provides lasting solutions that can be applied to everyday life.
We take into account each individual person’s feelings and emotions so that we can develop an effective strategy to ensure that everyone’s needs are met.
By helping each person communicate more effectively with one another, we are able to reduce tension within the home and prevent future conflicts from arising.
We usually follow a specific structure and format so that progress is made toward shared goals within each session.
Primarily, the goals of family therapy sessions are to help the family build emotional safety with one another so that they could better understand and appreciate each other, strengthen the love and bond with each other, and build resilience together as a family.
1. The initial family session will typically involve every person in the family. Depending on the situation, extended family families like grandparents may be involved and they too may need to be involved in the family therapy. During the joint family session, each family member will have a chance to individually table their concerns as a family.
2. After the initial joint family session, individual sessions with each family member will be conducted. This for the therapist to get a better understanding of each family member’s views and concerns.
3. After the individual session with each family member, the therapist will have everyone back together for the family therapy session to work through the challenges and issues presented in the family unit.
4. The therapist will help the family to identify maladaptive patterns of communication, thought patterns or behaviours that are causing stress in the family. The therapist will help each family member deal with difficult emotions in more constructive ways.
5. Psychological skills like learning how to regulate emotions, balanced thinking and coping behaviours may be taught in sessions. Parenting and communication skills may be taught in sessions. The therapist will also work with the family to define family values and goals that are meaningful and purposeful for the family.
We offer a confidential and non-judgmental space for your family to explore and resolve the challenges you’re facing.
FAQs
Not all the family members need to be present at every session but depending on the situation, all parties requiring counselling must be present at their pre-determined meeting schedules
If any of your family members are refusing to attend the family counselling session, try to talk about the importance of counselling with them. Discuss how counselling is an essential part of resolving family issues and building healthier relationships
It can be beneficial for the entire family unit to find a safe space to talk about their concerns, express their emotions and work through conflicts in a constructive manner.
Family counselling and family therapy are similar approaches to addressing the needs of a family, however, there are some key differences that set them apart.
Family counselling is usually a short-term approach focused on resolving specific issues within the family or between members of the family. It typically involves providing specific techniques and strategies to each individual in the family.
On the other hand, family therapy is a long-term approach focusing on addressing the needs of families as a unit, rather than focusing on individual members.It deals with finding solutions to a broader range of issues and more complex problems.
The success rate of family therapy is quite encouraging. In a 2019 study published in the American Journal of Family Therapy, it was reported that roughly 78% of families who attended family therapy showed marked improvement in their relationships and communication styles.
The study also found that individuals who received family therapy experienced better overall mental health, with a reduction in depression and anxiety.
Absolutely! It is an effective way to promote harmony, create a sense of connection, strengthen bonds, establish healthy boundaries, develop better communication skills, and relationships, confront difficult topics in a productive manner and develop healthy coping mechanisms to manage difficult emotions.
Counselling Psychologist
Sylvia Tan - Founder, Principal Counselling Psychologist, MPsych (SRP Registered)
Sylvia is a Counselling Psychologist practicing in Singapore. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology from Curtin University of Technology ( Perth, Western Australia) and is currently a registered counselling psychologist and a clinical supervisor with the Singapore Register of Psychologists (SRP).
After her graduation in 2002, Sylvia lived and worked in Australia for many years before her relocation back to her home country Singapore in 2014. To date, Sylvia has over 20 years of experience working in a range of settings both in Australia and Singapore.
Get In Touch
Whatsapp or email us to book an appointment or schedule in for your free initial 15 minutes phone consultation.