Family Counseling in Puyallup WA is invaluable when a family member is receiving help for alcohol dependency. Group therapy that includes counseling sessions with the nuclear family provides benefits for the person who has chosen outpatient therapy. There are two primary reasons for this. First, family dynamics may have contributed to the individual’s addiction. Second, the individual’s addiction has probably caused troublesome effects within the family, as those relatives have tried to cope with the situation.
Sometimes a person has been chemically dependent on alcohol for many years. This tends to cause turmoil in the family, with the spouse and children feeling a confusing mix of emotions. Embarrassment, anxiety, worry, fear and anger can all lead to dysfunction within the home. When this person finally gets sober, there is no instant recovery for everyone else concerned. Their spouse may continue to be very angry about the person’s previous behavior and the negative effects over the years. One child may feel happy and grateful for the changes while another may feel resentful at the idea that all should suddenly be forgiven, and then guilty about the resentment is also likely to develop.
Codependency is common in families affected by chemical dependency. The spouse and the youngsters alternate among trying to hide the addict’s problems from others, trying to convince the person to get help and rebelling against everything that is happening. For example, the spouse may provide a reasonable excuse when the addict is too hungover to go to work, but may spend the rest of the day feeling very angry.
Sessions of Family Counseling in Puyallup WA address all these issues and more. The chemically dependent person begins to make amends to the spouse and children. The rest of the family learns how to forgive and move forward. The individual in recovery shares plans for the future with the family and asks them for support and togetherness. This is a chance to finally begin anew, but lingering bothersome emotions can make that process difficult. Counseling sessions at a facility such as Alternative & Action Counseling gradually help everyone through this journey.
