If your teen is struggling with mental health issues, you and your family feel heartbroken and helpless. Teens who struggle with mental health issues feel isolated and miles away from those they love. When teenagers enter mental health treatment, many, if not all, treatment staff recognize that the family itself holds tremendous healing power in helping their son or daughter regain their health and happiness. Ultimately, the role of the family in mental health treatment is crucial in helping their teen and the rest of the family get back on track.
This article will explore the role of family in mental health treatment for teens. You will learn why family mental health treatment is key to your teen’s recovery and where to find the adolescent family mental health recovery program that gives your son or daughter the best chance at lasting recovery. Located in Atlanta, GA, The Berman Center is a top-tier adolescent treatment facility featuring evidence-based and effective mental health treatment that helps and heals your teen and family as a whole. Call us today to learn more about our proven mental health treatment in Georgia.
Why is Family Important in Teen Mental Health Treatment?
The adolescent years are a period where young people experience tremendous physical and psychological growth. While these changes are exciting, many, if not all, teens feel great vulnerability during the period of development. When teens struggle to “find themselves”, the strong relationships they have with family make this often difficult period of life easier to navigate. Ultimately, the strong ties between teens and their family members help them become well-adjusted adults.
However, teens with mental illness do not have strong connections with their parents and the rest of the family. This creates dysfunction that throws the whole family unit into chaos. Individual family members may engage in enabling behaviors, while others may feel left out and abandoned. Worse yet, some family members may turn to substance use or even develop mental illness themselves.
Family mental health treatment helps the whole family grow and heal. With the help of an experienced therapist, those who struggle with mental illness understand the underlying roots of their issues. The family will also better understand their teen’s mental illness and also understand their role in the development of their family member’s issues. In a safe and non-judgmental environment. The family works together to overcome obstacles and create a home environment centering on healthy communication, boundary setting, and growth.
The Role of Family in Mental Health Treatment For Teens
The role of the family in mental health treatment for adolescents is multi-faceted. The family must provide encouragement and support while being actively involved in the treatment process. The following are ways the family helps teens in mental health treatment:
Attend Family Therapy Sessions
An important role that family plays in teen mental health treatment is being active in family therapy. Family therapy helps the teen realize they aren’t alone and also helps the family rebuild and repair relationships torn apart by a teen’s mental illness.
Provide Ongoing Support
Families must provide consistent and ongoing support for their teen during and after treatment. This includes taking teens to their therapy appointments, attending family therapy sessions, and just being present and available to their teenagers.
Dedicated Family Time
In order to strengthen their teen’s mental health and family communication as a whole, it is important to have structured time set aside for the family. Activities include family game nights, camping trips, and movie nights. These activities provide family members quality time with each other and help each member grow closer to each other.
Foster Open and Honest Communication
As a whole, families must keep an open mind during and after treatment. Families must be open and honest in their communication, and those who are in treatment must have the time and space to convey their feelings and vulnerabilities.
Heal Your Teen and Family With Help From The Berman Center
Teen mental illness not only affects the child, it also affects the whole family. If your teenager needs help in dealing with a mental illness, call The Berman Center today. Our outpatient teen mental health programs are evidence-based, effective, and include the whole family. Our experienced team of professionals will provide your teen and family with the tools and support you need to mend and repair your relationships while growing stronger as a family.
Start the healing process right now and call The Berman Center.
