Types of Therapy and How to Know What is Best For You

For most individuals, going through a divorce or dealing with parenting issues can be a stressful and challenging period. Therapy is one major tool that nearly every individual will find beneficial. With so many kinds of therapy, it is important to know which kind of therapy is right for you and your choices in selecting therapy for yourself, your family, and even your ex-spouse or co-parent.

In Illinois, under 750 ILCS 5/607.6, a court may order parties to participate in a form of counseling, if not otherwise engaged in by agreement and without the need for a court order. The statute authorizes a court to order “individual counseling for the child, family counseling for one or more of the parties and the child, or parental education for one or more of the parties. The court is authorized to exercise this authority if the court finds that both parents or all parties agree, the child’s physical health is endangered or that the child’s emotional development is impaired, abuse of allocated parenting time under Section 607.5 has occurred, or one or both of the parties have violated the allocation judgment with regard to conduct affecting or in the presence of the child. 750 ILCS 5/607.6. While therapy can be court ordered, it doesn’t have to be in order for an individual to attend, and is actually a better option for individuals to attend voluntarily. By attending voluntarily, individuals will save money from having to involve attorneys to either be compelled or compel another to attend therapy. It is important to keep an open mind when attending therapy so that you can best receive its benefits.

There are many different types of counseling, including individual therapy, family therapy, co-parenting therapy, or reunification therapy. It is helpful to understand the different kinds of therapy to determine what will work best for your family currently and moving forward.

Individual therapy focuses on a single person and therapist seeking to address problems that person has or is currently experiencing. A common goal in this area of therapy is to help individuals overcome obstacles in their life, such as when they experience a major loss, like divorce or separation. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon that these major life events can lead to substance abuse, depression, anxiety, and several other mental or physical health problems. Therapists can suggest coping skills tailored to an individual’s specific needs on how to overcome their personal obstacles. This can help develop personal growth that can a not only develop a positive impact in the individual’s life, but also those with whom they have a relationship. Working towards personal improvement can often have a positive impact on challenges that arise through divorce or parenting issues and can benefit an individual in multiple areas of life.

Family therapy comes in various forms based upon the issues presented and the goals to be achieved.  The specific plan developed by your therapist will depend on your family’s needs. Sometimes this can include the entire family, or just members of a family who are experiencing issues with one another. Some common issues that arise in family law that are addressed in family therapy include mental health issues, financial issues, issues regarding the many aspects of parenting children, and issues between various family members that are creating tension for the family unit. Family therapy is very helpful in working towards strengthening relationships between parties to avoid possible future litigation. It is important to note that family therapy will not make the issues disappear, but will work towards helping families understand one another better, and develop skills to deal with conflict more efficiently and to cope and prepare parties for future issues that may arise.

Co-parenting or communication therapy is tailored specifically towards parents working with a therapist on improving their communication skills for the well-being of their child or children despite no longer being in a relationship. Co-parenting therapy is beneficial for high conflict co-parenting relationships, but can also be helpful for less contentious relationships to ensure civility continues and provide tools to all parties to best co-parent. Co-parenting therapy can be an alternative space to discuss disagreements that may arise to issues such as parenting time, vacation time, and decisions being made for the minor children. A third-party therapist can help parties work through issues and focus on the goal of co-parenting their child in a manner that does not shed negativity on that child’s daily life. In severe cases, not seeking co-parenting therapy can lead to a child being exposed to parents continuing to argue over a span of time, which can cause long time side effects such as anxiety or behavioral issues. When parents cannot come to an agreement, it also may result in deadlines being missed and a child not having the opportunity to engage in activities, receive medical care, or be enrolled in a desired school. This often dovetails with a Parenting Coordinator appointment and is a better method to develop skills through a therapeutic approach to rely upon and can further avoid the expenses of a Parenting Coordinator.

Reunification therapy focuses on rebuilding the child-parent relationship that has often resulted from a breakdown in a parent-child relationship, which may be attributable to a variety of reasons and allegations and requires the full cooperation of all family members, including the parent with whom the child is aligned. Judge Helaine Berger of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois Panel on Reunification Therapy stated “success in family law mediation is based on cooperation, retaining control over the process and using available resources to break down barriers. Reunification Therapy is a great resource to help break down those barriers, repair relationships and reach an agreement, but it needs to be a priority.” Reunification therapy is often recommended in a case to avoid contentious litigation and rather first work towards mending the relationship between the parent and child. This type of therapy may include developing healthy ways of communication, talking through past or present issues, and focusing on the goal of mending a relationship and what is required of the parties to move forward. Reunification therapy utilizes a team approach, with therapists who act as coaches to help you along the way.

Therapy is a strong tool that can make an important difference in not only how you approach or deal with parenting disputes and divorce, but also how the entire family, especially the minor children, approach this change. Finding a good therapist and the right approach in selection of type of therapy is a key component of moving through this phase of life equipped with a support system and tools to make a tough situation better. The Law Office of Erin M. Wilson, LLC, has plenty of referrals and resources to find a therapist that best fits your situation’s needs. Contact The Law Office of Erin M. Wilson LCC to schedule a consultation at 312-767-4220.

NOTICE: This blog is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be construed as providing legal advice. Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have regarding this blog post.