Family and marriage problems are among the most important reasons why today's people seek psychological support. Because family has a very important place in human life. Everyone knows that happy individuals can only grow up in happy families.
Nowadays, family problems are unfortunately increasing rapidly and therefore psychosocial support services for families are gaining importance day by day. Family counseling and marriage therapy are increasingly recognized and preferred models of help by families. Family counseling is a helping model based on the individuals who make up the family trying to solve problems together.
Family is defined as a complex structure consisting of individuals who share a history, have emotional ties, and plan strategies to meet the needs of their members. As it is known, family is the smallest part of the social structure. Family members both continue their existence individually and fulfill their roles as a part of the social structure. Although the dimensions and content of the family institution have changed, it has maintained its universality and feature as the basic unit of society throughout human history. The characteristics of the institution of family and marriage vary depending on the social structure of the society in which it is located. However, the family has basic functions that are very similar in all societies. These are:
- 0 Meeting economic needs,
- Planning the education of children,
- Family members protecting each other and creating an environment of mutual love,
- Providing status,
- Providing sexual satisfaction and
- Creating goals for the future.
Family life is a developing environment that provides satisfaction to individuals. There is a parallel between work and family life. The basic principles and values that make a person's business life healthy and meaningful are no different from the basic principles and values that make a healthy family life. People who are successful in family life are expected to be successful in business life as well. Family is a team consisting of various elements. There is interaction between elements. Interactivity is affected by the properties of the elements. In other words, each family member's personality, communication style, and perspective affect family dynamics and family interaction. Because It is very important to ensure the active participation of all family members in the family counseling process. Family counseling and marriage therapy aim to solve family problems and create a healthy family structure. Although there is not yet a full agreement on the definition and characteristics of a healthy family, families that fulfill their functions and provide satisfaction to their members are called healthy families.
The functions of a healthy family are listed as follows;
- Emotions sharing,
- Acceptance of individual differences,
- Development of feelings of interest and love,
- Cooperation,
- Meeting basic needs to sustain life,
- Problem solving,
- Expressing feelings of appreciation,
- Communication,
- Spending time together,
- Sense of humor ,
- Common values and
- Effective coping skills.
Unhealthy families are formed due to the inability to fulfill several different parts of the family functions adequately. The family counselor helps all family members produce solutions together during the family counseling process.
The goal of family counseling is for the family to develop its own power resources, ensure its functionality, achieve realistic goals, communicate openly, develop its empathy skills and develop its own creativity. To help them put forward their solutions.
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