Family therapy services in Penasquitos, San Diego. Relationship and couples counseling.

Family life and family relationships have a profound impact on what we value and what we believe about ourselvles and others. How others in the family treat us and perceive us can significantly affect how we feel about ourselves and how we behave. AS a family therapist, I educate families on how to relate to one another in kind and respectful ways and how to interact with one another in such a way that promotes the emotional well being of each family member. When family life improves many individual problems tend to improve such as anger, depression, substance abuse, work problems, academic problems and child behavior problems.

Addiction recovery is not a solo journey. Individuals closest to us often take on roles to adapt to our behaviors. It can be difficult to accept that everyone's role must adapt and evolve, not just the addict, in order for recovery to work. When an individual is walking the path from addiction to recovery, spouses and family are also experiencing a complicated transformation. Family counseling can help ease this transformation in a healthy, positive, productive way for all involved.

It's an often avoided topic, but the truth is that addiction is a family disease. By that I mean it effects the whole family on a deeper level than one might first assume. Behaviors, coping skills, financial decisions, and much more - they're all altered based on the presence of addiction in the family. I work with family compositions and intimate relationships of all types to foster understanding, healing and growth for everyone involved. Without the family or significant other participating, recovery for the addict becomes much more difficult and thus unlikely. Including your loved one in your treatment may terrify you, and it's ok if it does. When you're ready, we can start at your pace.