Step-Family Therapy
Healthy blended families are a remarkable gift and can offer healing, closeness, and support to their members. However, there are many complexities that come with blending families which require intentionality in order to maneuver well. These challenges may include adjusting to new familial dynamics, managing loyalties and conflicts, co-parenting, establishing boundaries, building new relationships, and more. When two family members have friction, it impacts the rest of the family in a profound way. Additionally, the life transitions and changes that come with blending families are often difficult to manage and can cause disagreements.
Sometimes it is necessary for step-families to participate in therapy to work through past hurt or areas of conflict. This allows the family members to establish healthier dynamics and build trust within the family. Our therapists use a collaborative and empathetic approach in sessions, valuing the voices of all family members and providing a safe space to articulate feelings and experiences. The therapist will work to understand the family's dynamics so they can tailor their approach to meet their specific needs. The goals of therapy are to strengthen the family unit by improving communication, recognizing and correcting unhealthy patterns, resolving conflicts, and building empathy and respect amongst family members.
Individuals who might benefit from therapy include children in step-families who are struggling with managing loyalties and adjusting to new dynamics, step-parents who are having trouble stepping into their new role and building relationships with step-children, and biological parents who seek to have a better relationship with their ex-spouse while integrating a new partner into the family. Therapy can also strengthen and unify the blended family unit as a whole, helping the family move forward from past conflict and focus on improving the future. For more information about how step-family therapy is done at Minnesota Renewal and if it would be right for your family, inquiries@minnesotarenewal.org.