Family Therapy - Who does and When to Seek Help

Therapy isn't just about mother-father issues. And it's more than a give and take between therapist and client. In fact, good therapy, is a positive exchange that could lead to positive results.

A common misperception when couples and families come to therapy is that we're going to point the finger or blame someone. We're going to tell you this is all about your childhood, all about mom or dad and really that's not the case with good therapy

Good therapy, good counseling usually works by people coming in, getting new skills, learning how to solve a problem and then going back and tackling life again.

The biggest issues we usually see at Sierra Family Therapy in Grass Valley is depression, anxiety or some type of identity crisis.

One common issue is racism, patients seeking help dealing with stereotypes they've grown up with. And as far as who seeks out therapy, there are all kinds of people - couples who are looking to improve their relationships, teenagers trying to "find themselves" to individuals seeking to cope with trauma. Everyone can benefit from therapy.

The number of people needing help is large, and available therapists are few. If you're ever thinking about therapy, don't over analyze on your own, seek out help, whether it's professional help or from friends.

The price of seeking outside help isn't cheap. However, you can often check with your counselor, they may make payment arrangements (At Sierra Family Therapy, we offer a sliding scale fee). The average client sees us between six and eight times.

As for ways to seek help, check with your employer. Often times they have employer assistance programs--many of them free. There's also county mental health options and finally, check with your primary care doctor, they can refer you to a counselor in private practice.