Helping Children Cope with Divorce: How Family Therapy Can Help
Divorce can be extremely difficult for members of a family but especially children. They don't understand why their parents no longer love each other and feel a deep sense of loss. It can be a confusing time as to why this is happening and what the reasons are. This confusion can come with a lot of big emotions, questions, and feelings of insecurity.
As a parent, it’s important to recognize and validate these emotions. However, you're going through this yourself too. You also might not know the best way to support your child. Family therapy could be a great option to help your family navigate this transition. It can also provide an additional level of support during this challenging time. In this blog, we will talk about how family therapy can help children cope with divorce.
How Does Divorce Affect Children?
When children learn that their parents are divorcing, this can shatter their whole perception of life. They thought their parents loved each other and thought they had a safe and secure home. Now, this image has been shattered. It can be really overwhelming. As I mentioned earlier, children might experience a range of big emotions due to the divorce transition.
It's normal for children to feel sadness, anxiety, anger, and confusion. Also, depending on the age of the child, they might even have a difficult time expressing their emotions. This can cause them to express themselves behaviorally, such as acting out in school, hitting, biting, having accidents, or having difficulty sleeping. These are common reactions to divorce It's important for parents to recognize that these emotions are a normal part of the process. However, this does not mean that your child doesn't need support.
Children Can Sometimes Feel a Sense of Guilt or Blame Themselves.
If your child thinks or feels as if they had a hand in the divorce, it can be even more difficult for them. This can be the result of a variety of factors. Maybe they heard you and their other parent fighting. Or, they felt as if they were not able to help in some way or are feeling guilty for wanting to spend time with one parent more than another parent.
This can lead them to perceive the divorce as their fault and can cause a lot of guilt, which can be very hard on a child. This can lead to serious issues such as depression and anxiety. This is where family therapy can help explain to your child that it's not their fault and that the divorce is an adult decision.
Family Therapy Can Help Children Cope with Divorce
Family therapy in San Antonio, TX allows for a safe, comfortable environment for all family members to be vulnerable and be heard. It provides an opportunity for your child to express their emotions and concerns in a comfortable environment with the help of a trained professional. They can share how this new reality makes them feel and how the divorce has affected them.
During sessions, your child will be able to ask you, the parents, questions so they can get answers about the situation they are now facing. This can give them a better understanding, which could relieve some of the guilt and fear they may be feeling. It can help them feel more secure and relieve any anxiety they are having. Plus, it can help them better understand divorce and what it means for the family.
Your Child Will Learn How to Cope with the Changes
In family therapy, your child will learn coping skills so they can manage any big emotions they may be working through. Together with your child, the therapist will help your child to identify their emotions, create coping strategies, and help them react more positively. Additionally, these coping strategies can be used even after you finish family therapy. They can also be applied to other areas of their life, such as at school, at home, or even when they are around friends.
Family Therapy Can Help the Entire Family Cope With Divorce
So, not only is family therapy helpful for your child but for the whole family. It gives the family an opportunity to understand what the new family dynamics are. It also helps your child understand that the divorce is not their fault and that it doesn't change how much you love them. Family members will share how they are feeling about the situation and the therapist will help facilitate open, honest communication around it. Perhaps, you are feeling guilty or they are feeling anger. With the help of a family therapist, these emotions can be addressed and worked through in a healthier way.
Through family therapy, the parents can also work on co-parenting and how to best support their child during this difficult time. The therapist will help the parents come up with ways they can continue to create a loving and supportive environment between the two homes. It allows the family to re-frame the situation and view it in a different light.
Family therapy allows your child to learn more about their new reality as their family situation changes. It can provide them with the necessary knowledge, support, and coping strategies to help them navigate this new way of life. Family therapy is an invaluable tool for all members of the family but can help children reduce anxiety, learn how to cope and understand that the divorce is not their fault.
Support Your Child with Family Therapy in San Antonio, TX
Divorce can really shake up a child's life and it is important to give them the support they need to get through this difficult time. They are not going to understand it fully, but with the help of family therapy in San Antonio, TX your child can learn how to cope and how to adjust to their new reality. At Monarch Behavioral Health, our therapists understand how divorce affects children and families. We provide counseling and support to help your child navigate this difficult time in their life with love, compassion, and understanding. If you are seeking understanding and support, you can follow these steps:
Contact our therapy office and learn more about our services
Meet with one of our play therapists
Begin helping your child cope with the divorce!
Other Therapy Services Offered at Monarch Behavioral Health
Our therapists at Monarch Behavioral Health in San Antonio, TX know that with divorce can come other challenges that you or your family may be facing. In addition to family therapy, we offer a variety of other services that can help your family as well. Our therapy services include Anxiety Treatment, Depression Treatment, Trauma Therapy, Autism Therapy, Child Counseling, and more. We are dedicated to supporting the whole family through difficult times. Our therapists also offer therapy for children, teens, and adults of all ages. If you or a member of your family have any questions, feel welcome to reach out to our office.