Family Counseling Hayward, California
Learn more about the benefits of family therapy and how to find your family counseling Hayward options here.
Table of Contents
What is Family Counseling?
Engaging in family therapy is often an important part of the recovery process. Since family can be the biggest support in navigating any challenges in life, it is important to seek effective family therapy. Horizon Treatment Services can assist if you’re searching for “family counseling Hayward.”

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Who is Involved in Family Therapy?
This therapy can consist of many different combinations of loved ones, including:
- Parents
- Siblings
- Children
- Grandparents
- Aunts/uncles
- Cousins
- Chosen family
Goals of Family Therapy
The family and the therapist will decide, together, the goals of the therapy. Typically, the main goals of this counseling include:
- Improving communication
- Learning to express thoughts and feelings
- Developing healthy boundaries
Achieving Goals in Family Counseling
During family therapy, achieving family goals is accomplished by:
- Focusing on and improving the family’s ability to problem solve
- Learning to identify both individual and family strengths
- Exploring behavior patterns that contribute to conflict
- Developing skills and strategies to express thoughts and emotions
Types of Family Therapy
- Family systems therapy: This focuses on helping people use the strengths of their relationships to overcome mental health concerns.2
- Functional family therapy: This form of therapy focuses on families with children that have emotional disturbances or complex behavioral challenges.3
- Structural therapy: Structural therapy focuses on the interactions between family members. It treats the family as a system and works to improve communication between family members and make adjustments to how the family functions.4
- Psychoeducation: This focuses on educating family members on understanding mental health and substance misuse and treatment options for the individual in treatment.
How to Know Which Type of Family Therapy is Best For You and Your Loved Ones
It is important to meet with a mental health professional to determine which form of therapy would be best for your family.
Features of Effective Family Counseling
Treatment or therapy may not always be effective. The most important factors that contribute to the effectiveness of family therapy are desire, willingness, and personal preferences
Willingness
Family therapy is a collaborative process. In order for it to be productive and successful, everyone in the family must be willing to give it a chance.
Finding the Right Therapist
Finding a therapist that best fits the family’s preferences and style is another important aspect for the counseling to be effective. Finding a therapist you feel comfortable with and who can navigate the dynamics in the relationship is important in getting the most out of the counseling.
Maximizing Effectiveness of Family Therapy
- Preparing questions or issues you want to discuss before the session
- Speaking in a calm manner
- Always using “I” statements when discussing your feelings
- Trying to avoid unnecessary arguing or picking fights
- Being open to listening and remaining respectful
What to Expect From Family Counseling
Family counseling usually brings family members together for the therapy sessions. However, there may be instances where someone sees a family counselor on an individual basis. This may be due to the unwillingness from the other family member or members.
During this counseling, the therapist may meet with family members as a group, on an individual basis, or a combination of both. A typical session is about fifty minutes long for about twelve sessions.6
Relevant Questions the Family Counselor May Ask
At the initial family therapy sessions, the family counselor will likely be asking:
- Questions to determine each person’s view of the problem
- Where the concern started
- How the family has managed problems in the past
From there, the family will work with the therapist on creating a treatment plan. This plan will have specific goals the family wishes to achieve while in counseling. The concerns and treatment plan goals may determine the amount of counseling sessions.
What Are the Benefits of Family Therapy?
This type of counseling can have many benefits for both the individual and family as a whole. Since one of the main goals of this type of counseling is addressing communication, the family will learn how to better resolve conflicts and communicate their thoughts and feelings.
Family counseling also focuses on building and strengthening the support within the family system. Support is a very important aspect of an individual’s mental health and substance use disorder recovery journey. So, a benefit of this type of counseling is to strengthen that healthy support system.
Family Counseling Hayward: Additional Benefits

Who Should Attend Family Counseling?
The short answer is: any family that is struggling with problems that may be having a negative impact on their relationships should attend family counseling. Also, any family member that went through Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) that are still impacting their communication and coping skills would benefit from family counseling.
Family Counseling Hayward: Horizon Treatment Services
Reach Out and Learn More
For more information about family counseling Hayward, California or other treatment options may be right for you, contact Horizon Services at 510.582.2100 or contact@hsimail.org.