Family Therapy

When it comes to crisis management, a key component is simultaneously treating the family. Our families are intimately wired into our psyche, whether we interact with them daily, weekly, yearly, or haven't for years. Why does our family get under our skin so easily? It baffles the mind. But, like a dagger to the heart, the interactions with family can create madness.

Often in the crisis setting, family members will be abusive. You would think folks would control themselves in the presence of others, but often this just isn't so. I have witnessed families beat on one another, today saw a parent berate their grown child, I have had to remove friends and family members from the room for causing a scene - and they weren't seeking treatment!

You would think that our facily brings out a person's basic nature. I myself love the appreciative folks who understand what we do at the crisis room on a daily basis, however this is far and in between.

What people don't consider is people with mental illnes don't function on the same level as people that are "normal". In fact many parents don't realize their child at 15 years old is not as logical, not as well versed in worldly matters as they are and function at a much lower level. Today the mere fact that the person's child couldn't live life "to their rules", they got mad, loud and had to be spoken to by yours truly. Where is it in my job description to interact with people who weren't even my client? It is essential however to keep the Crisis room as free of crisis as possible!

The mind is an interesting beast. If it doesn't want to acknowledge the fact that something is wrong - ignorance is bliss - it will delude us into feeling that everything is just fine. I had a funny experience with this myself one day as I walked down the street with a friend and walked right into a parking meter. Everything was fine with my walk and my conversation with my friend, but when something I didn't want to acknowledge stopped me in my tracks, I was forced to deal with it.

May you all experience enhanced wellbeing.