Why You Should Get Blended Family Counseling

All blended families have problems when they are first learning how to live together.  It is how you solve your blended family problems that is important.  Letting your anger or your frustration get the better of you is never a good idea, now matter how satisfying it might feel in the heat of the moment.  Some families are able to work through their issues on their own while others find that they need help.  Some families need blended family counseling to learn how to live as a single family unit. 

There is no reason to feel bad if you find that your newly blended family needs blended family counseling.  Every blended family goes through growing pains when they are first learning how to live together and the family dynamics of a blended family are almost always complicated, whether your blended family consists of one or both spouse bringing children from a previous relationship into the family dynamic.  New step parents are unsure of their footing.  Newly stepped children are usually worried about where they should place their loyalties (many feel guilty for accepting a step parent and worry that doing so is a betrayal of their other biological parent).  Blended family counseling can teach you how to work through your blended family problems and growing pains.

One of the major benefits of participating in blended family counseling is having access to a trusted individual who will not take sides or play family members against each other.  Family members can talk or vent to this individual without having to worry about their words being used against them or repeated to anyone else.  During group blended family sessions, the counselor acts as an impartial mediator during disputes: not taking sides and trying to help all sides of a disagreement find common ground.  Having someone to talk to who is not directly involved in or emotionally attached to your blended family is often very comforting.

Another major benefit of taking part in blended family counseling is the lessons each family member will get in proper communication.  Your counselor will teach all of you how to be better communicators and to use those newfound communication skills to help solve and work through your blended family problems.  Most people think that they are good at communicating.  Very few are.  Your counselor will teach you how to listen as well as how to talk and how to work through disputes and stresses.

There is no shame in going through blended family counseling.  Most who take part in counseling for blended families admit that doing so was the best thing they could have done for their family.  It is important, however, that you understand that taking part in blended family counseling is not a one time or easy fix for your blended family problems.  Your counselor's job is to work with you and teach you how to resolve future conflict.  She is not there to fix your problems for you.  Thankfully, eventually, with blended family counseling, you will learn how to do that as a family without needing outside intervention!