Family & Couples Therapy in Austin, Texas

As humans, we are an interdependent species, meaning that we rely on one another to meet our most basic physical and emotional needs, beginning in infancy. The patterns we learn and the messages we receive in childhood form our worldview and influence our future relationships in adulthood. Both family and couples therapy allow for individuals to understand the origins of their beliefs about relationships, the roles they assume, and patterns that may contribute to issues in communication and connection.

 What are the benefits of couples therapy?

Couples therapy can be beneficial in any stage of a relationship ranging from premarital counseling to life transitions after many years together. In couples therapy at Autonomy Therapy, you and your partner may work to understand each other’s values, explore communication styles, work towards conflict resolution, and reinvigorate your connection.

Working with a couples therapist may provide the following benefits:

• Having someone to act as a neutral mediator, allowing couples to address multiple perspectives that may not always be evident

• Developing effective communication skills

• Learning how to express one’s needs confidently and without anger in order to avoid resentment

• Exploring the roots of conflict and insecurities

• Identifying one another’s triggers and insecurities to glean a better understanding of each other’s behaviors

• Learning acceptance of one another’s individual experiences

• Gaining tools to resolve conflict in a helpful way

• Increased trust, closeness, honesty, and security

• Decreased avoidance or detachment

• A safe space to explore difficult topics and to be vulnerable with one another

• Understanding each other’s beliefs, values, goals, needs, and desires

What is Family Therapy?

What makes family therapy distinct from individual therapy is that the therapist views the whole family unit as the client. There’s not one person who is the “problem”, and the whole family system works as a team to uncover the patterns and roles within the family that keep them feeling stuck. Each member has an equal voice within the family, and your therapist will work to make sure everyone is heard, allowing the family to understand and acknowledge varied perspectives within the family, leading to a stronger sense of security and acceptance. When family members do not feel safe expressing their feelings and needs, it can create distance and snowball into built-up resentment and a dysfunctional environment. A strong commitment to therapy from each member will foster a safe and secure environment to work towards more helpful communication and understanding of one another.

Common issues in family therapy include the following:

• Blended families

• Parenting

• Divorce and separation

• Substance abuse and addiction

• Eating disorders

• Boundaries

• Communication

• Finances

• Grief and loss

• Concerns with children and adolescents

• Parent and child conflict

• Conflict around culture, religion, and lifestyle

• Sibling conflict

• Caregiver stress

  What are the benefits of family counseling?

• A dedicated space to foster connection

• A family therapist can point out family dynamics and facilitate discussion of family issues from each member’s perspective

• Improving communication by getting a clearer understanding of family roles and dynamics

• Problem-solve as a team with the assistance of a trained professional

• Exploring cycles and sequences that keep the family unit stuck and coming up with alternatives

Autonomy Therapy’s Approach to Family & Couples Therapy

• Partners have independent experiences and histories in addition to their partnership

• An individual’s own personal experiences can detract from or contribute to a secure bond with their partner

• Events within one individual’s life also affect their partner

• Experiences that are shared by a couple may affect them individually and in different ways altogether

• These differences in experiences can lead to misunderstanding, isolation, trust issues, avoidance, and detachment resulting in a less secure relationship, loneliness, conflict, and pursuing intimacy in outside relationships