The 9 psychological keys to managing family problems

Psychology professionals offer guidelines for dealing with family problems.

Family therapy is the branch of applied psychology that studies and intervenes in dysfunctional communication and interaction dynamics between fathers and mothers, children, grandparents, aunts and uncles.... For example, quarrels that drag on for years, lack of communication, inattention to the needs of one part of the family, and more.

That is why, for decades, family psychology professionals have been establishing a series of behavioral guidelines and psychological keys that can be of great help to overcome family problems..

The keys to face and manage family problems

Consider these recommendations for dealing with family problems due to miscommunication, arguments, etc.

1. Managing arguments

Family arguments are very common obstacles faced by most families around the world and sometimes there is a tendency to avoid them instead of confronting and managing them successfully.

Avoidance may seem to be a simple way of living together as a family, but in the long run it is not the most effective way to coexist in the family.The only thing that is achieved is to accumulate discomfort that sooner or later will end up coming to the surface throughout the day to day and the daily coexistence.

That is why experts in family psychology recommend to always manage any type of discussion that may arise and talk about the issues that need to be addressed without hiding them.

2. Choosing the right time to talk about problems

As in any other relationship between people, it is of great importance to always choose the most appropriate time and place to discuss sensitive issues, or to settle arguments of all kinds.

That is why it is usually it is usually recommended to deal with this type of problems when there is enough time to do so and when all the family members and when all members of the family are available to talk for as long as necessary.

Similarly, it may also be advisable not to deal with sensitive issues when tempers are very hot and wait until all the people involved in the conflict are in a position to talk calmly and without adding fuel to the previous discussion.

3. Allow everyone to express themselves

In order to successfully manage any problem in the family environment, it is very important to always make sure that all parties involved are free to explain their side of the conflict.

Allowing all the members of the family to express themselves contributes in a very remarkable way to bring positions closer together, since each person will feel that his or her views are heard by the family.Each person will feel that his or her views are heard by the other members of the family.

If each person exposes his or her version in a calm and respectful manner, sooner or later a generalized consensus can be reached between all parties that satisfies those involved.

4. Value everyone's opinion

Another of the essential keys to a family conflict is to respect the opinions of each and every one of the members of the family unit, even the youngest ones.

In families with young children it is also important to take into account their opinion or points of view about what happened so that they feel integrated and that their opinion is valued among the other members. It is also important to take into account their opinion or points of view about what happened so that they feel integrated and that their opinion is valued among the other members, something that will undoubtedly contribute to the development of their personality and their intellect.

Although sometimes they do not understand what is happening, it is also very positive to ask the children about how they have felt before the discussion or the conflict that has taken place in the family.

5. To put in practice communicative skills

As it has been indicated, communication is essential to solve any type of family conflict, and even more it is the form and the communicative style that we use to relate to other members of the family.

For decades, psychology professionals have been studying the different ways in which we can communicate with other family members. The main communication skills are active listening, empathy, emotional validation, conflict resolution, respect and the ability to correctly manage verbal and non-verbal language..

The main communication skills are active listening, empathy, emotional validation, conflict resolution, respect and the ability to correctly manage verbal and non-verbal language.

6. Apologizing

Knowing how to apologize when one has made a mistake is essential for the correct functioning of any human relationship and also in the case of family conflicts.

Sincere apologies are a sign of respect and consideration for another person who has been wronged. However, it should also be remembered that apology should always be accompanied by acts of reparation for the damage of the harm caused (repairing it in whole or in part).

7. Follow the protocols in cases of abuse

In cases of domestic abuse, the safety and physical integrity of the victim must take priority over any "repair" of damaged family relationships.

That is why in this type of case the established protocols should always be followed, always protecting the victim and involving the judicial, police and medical authorities as necessary.

8. Go to therapy

Seeing a psychologist or professional specialized in family therapy is one of the best decisions you can make. is one of the best decisions to make when there is a serious conflict in the family or when it is difficult to find a solution to the problem.

An expert therapist in this area will know how to identify negative behavior patterns, put the focus on the causes of the problem and will be able to conceive the problem with perspective.

9. Spending more time together

Psychological professionals recommend that the best way to solve frequent family conflicts or problems is to spending more time together as a family.

This is a good way to strengthen the bonds between loved ones and can be done by sharing leisure activities or dedicating weekends to family activities.

Do you want psychological support?

If you are looking for psychological therapy services for families, couples or individual patients, please contact our team of psychologists.

At Avance Psychologists we have more than 20 years of experience in the field and we work with patients of all ages.