All About Family Therapy with Christie Farris

While individual therapy can be immensely helpful, family therapy
takes into consideration the important role our family plays in
who we are and even the struggles we have. Our guest today,
Christie Farris, is a dual-licensed LPC (licensed professional
counselor) and LMFT (licensed marriage and family therapist) who
advocates for a systems approach to individual and family
problems. Our parents and family are meant to function as our
secure base from which we get our primary source of support, so
when these relationships are strained, people can suffer trauma
and experience a range of attachment and trust issues. Therefore,
working with the family as a whole can shed valuable light on the
patterns and coping mechanisms that perpetuate dysfunctional
dynamics and prevent members from enjoying healthy relationships.
In this episode, Christie shares when (and when not) family
counseling is likely to be beneficial, what a typical session
looks like, how to deal with a family member’s refusal to
participate, and why parents should never feel as though therapy
means that they have somehow failed. In fact, most families can
probably benefit from therapy, so tune in for this episode to
learn more about it! 





Key Points From This Episode:


Christie’s background as a high school teacher and
discovering her passion for counseling.

Going back to grad school for her Master’s and getting
licensed as an LPC and an LMFT.

The value of working in a variety of settings and the areas
that she specializes in.   

The differences and similarities between the work of an LPC
and an LMFT. 

Hear how the mental health struggles of one family member can
impact the whole.

Why our parents and family play such an important role in how
we view all our relationships. 

When family counseling is beneficial versus when other
processes need to happen first. 

The cost of failing to get help and how therapy is becoming
more accessible. 

Learn what a family counseling session looks like and why
everyone has to feel supported. 

The importance of stating that there is no such thing as
finding the ‘bad guy’ in therapy. 

The tendency for patterns and coping mechanisms to develop in
families. 

Striking the balance between focusing on the family versus
individuals within the family. 

The false belief that if we, as parents, check certain boxes
that our children will turn out ‘good’. 

Encouragement to parents who fear that therapy means they’ve
done something wrong. 

Dealing with scenarios where someone in the family refuses to
go to therapy. 






Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:


Christie Farris


The Dance of Anger 


The Essentials of Family Therapy 


Sherry Burkhard


Mosaics of Mercy