Frequently Asked Questions
What distinguishes a Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) from other mental health professionals?
Marriage and family therapy is based on the research and theory that mental illness and family problems are best treated in a family context. Marriage and Family Therapists recognize that although an individual may exhibit a ‘symptom’ such as depression, anxiety or self-doubt, the problem does not lie within the person. People are not defective. Rather, the problem lies within unhelpful beliefs or patterns of relating that we picked up along the way within our families, from traumatic experiences, from the workplace or the culture within which we live. For example, a young girl struggling with disordered eating is not labled ‘sick’ and told to ‘just eat!’ Rather, she is given the space to explore whether she is acting out the broader culture’s sick obsession with thinness.
Do Marriage and Family Therapist’s only see couples and families?
No. Family Therapists are trained in various modes of therapy in order to prepare them for work with individuals, families, couples, and groups. The training of MFTs includes live supervision by experienced MFTs, which is unique among the mental health disciplines.
Marriage and family therapy is based on the research and theory that mental illness and family problems are best treated in a family context. Marriage and Family Therapists recognize that although an individual may exhibit a ‘symptom’ such as depression, anxiety or self-doubt, the problem does not lie within the person. People are not defective. Rather, the problem lies within unhelpful beliefs or patterns of relating that we picked up along the way within our families, from traumatic experiences, from the workplace or the culture within which we live. For example, a young girl struggling with disordered eating is not labled ‘sick’ and told to ‘just eat!’ Rather, she is given the space to explore whether she is acting out the broader culture’s sick obsession with thinness.
Do Marriage and Family Therapist’s only see couples and families?
No. Family Therapists are trained in various modes of therapy in order to prepare them for work with individuals, families, couples, and groups. The training of MFTs includes live supervision by experienced MFTs, which is unique among the mental health disciplines.
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Why bother talking about it?
Because the emotional and memory centers of our brain are so closely linked, talk therapy has the power to re-ignite and re-route neural pathways. By retelling the stories of our lives we get the opportunity to name and examine the problems that brought us to therapy and the symptoms they support.
Why not just talk to my friends?
Friends can offer vital support and good advice. But most friends are not trained to listen for both the content of your story and the underlying patterns and influences that you are trying to free yourself from.
Because the emotional and memory centers of our brain are so closely linked, talk therapy has the power to re-ignite and re-route neural pathways. By retelling the stories of our lives we get the opportunity to name and examine the problems that brought us to therapy and the symptoms they support.
Why not just talk to my friends?
Friends can offer vital support and good advice. But most friends are not trained to listen for both the content of your story and the underlying patterns and influences that you are trying to free yourself from.
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How long does therapy take?
Length of treatment varies for each individual; it depends on full engagement by both of us. Imagine showing up to a work-out class at the gym, standing in the corner and concluding, “I came, but it didn’t work, I’m no different!” It might be uncomfortable to may confront difficult emotions that you have been avoiding for a long time. You might even break a sweat! But after we have developed specific goals, I will be able to give you an estimate of how long you may expect reach your goals. As with physical exercise, the results are worth it!
What are your areas of specialization?
Length of treatment varies for each individual; it depends on full engagement by both of us. Imagine showing up to a work-out class at the gym, standing in the corner and concluding, “I came, but it didn’t work, I’m no different!” It might be uncomfortable to may confront difficult emotions that you have been avoiding for a long time. You might even break a sweat! But after we have developed specific goals, I will be able to give you an estimate of how long you may expect reach your goals. As with physical exercise, the results are worth it!
What are your areas of specialization?
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Click here to request a free consultation or call Bellingham Family Counseling, PLLC today at (360) 325-1717.