What To Talk About In Therapy For A Blended Family
Posted on: 12 December 2018
Getting married for a second time comes with the knowledge of what could go wrong. When the two of you have children, they may also be apprehensive about what could happen when they blend their old family with the new one. If you are engaged or newly married to someone and the two of you have a blended family together, it is a good idea to go to family therapy. Here are a few points for everyone to talk about during therapy so that the family can solidify their bond with one another:
Talk about what they are afraid of
Therapy is the best place to confront any fears. If anyone in the family has fears about what is happening or what may happen, have them go over this in therapy. The therapist can have the rest of the family go over the logistics of those fears and a plan can be made to accommodate the person and alleviate their insecurities. All of the children and the adults should go through their fears or concerns so that no one is left out and everyone is properly catered to.
What the see an average day being like
When blended families move in with one another, they tend to have a "feeling-out" period. This period could be simplified when each person goes through what they think a normal day looks like for their new family. Some members will need to have time alone, while others will want to have dinner together so that everyone is included in a conversation at least once. Parents may want the older children to take care of the younger children upon them returning home from school, so that the adults have time to get home without any problems. Have everyone write a perfect "day-in-the-life" scenario and attempt to blend in as many of their desires as possible.
What must change
A family that becomes blended changes in some ways; for example, this may mean that children who are used to their own room must now share a room. Children who are used to having fewer people around the home will now learn how to operate within a larger unit. Living circumstances and custodial arrangements may also change. There may be changes that are non-negotiable, and these need to be discussed with the children. When changes are discussed, it takes everyone's feelings into account, which makes their new life easier to move on with.
For more information about the benefits of family therapy, contact companies like The Center for Family Counseling, Inc.
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