Unfortunately, some blended families run into a number of trials as they build their combined and happy home. In many instances, blended families find that building a partnership with a Thriveworks family therapist or counselor in Woodstock, GA is a useful means to help them pilot the challenges that may arise with operating such a family. Being a part of a blended family can be difficult at times, but it is virtually always worth the struggle!
“Having a close and caring family is a beautiful dream, but a dream without a plan isn’t worth a nickel. However, a dream with a workable plan may be worth a million bucks.”
–Dr. Rich Melheim
Permitting all the relationships within a blended family to cultivate naturally is vital, but it can also be tough. Uniquely, relationships don’t happen overnight and there are many things that parents cannot force. Unification of a family can be a test, but it is also an opportunity for many rewards. Truly, step families frequently develop to become that model, large family where love runs deep and everybody looks out for one another. Although getting there may be a task, no one has to take the voyage alone. The skilled counselors and therapists at Thriveworks Woodstock can help blended families find their tempo.
Certainly, your blended family may be fairly new or yours may be farther along in the journey, but wherever your family is, Thriveworks Woodstock is here to help. We can help with counseling for your blended family and take it to the pinnacle of unification.
What Does a Blended Family Look Like?
Part of the attractiveness of step families or blended families is that there is no recipe for them. In fact, they come in all forms and figures. More often than not, they find love and acceptance everyplace it is to be found. Blended families comprise of:
- Re-coupled or re-married parents whose partner does not take an active role in parenting their children.
- Re-coupled and re-married parents who both have children from previous relationships.
- Parents who have divorced, separated, or broken up. They may share parenting responsibilities, but they are living in different homes. No other partners are involved.
- Re-coupled or re-married parents whose partner has never had children and takes an active role in parenting their children.
- And the list goes on…
Comparatively, in the 1960’s, the divorce rate for first marriages was 30 percent and since then, it has risen to 40 percent while the rate of divorce for second- and third-time marriages is astoundingly higher. Collectively, with the divorce rate being about 50 percent, it makes logic that around 30 million children, ages 13 and under, belong to a step family. For this reason, blended families are common in many communities and they are a mounting existence all around us. To emphasize, the US Census Bureau estimates that there are roughly 1300 new step families made daily. It is important to realize that many step families face comparable problems and challenges.
Step Families and Making Adjustments for Children
Oftentimes, children can struggle with their new life of belonging to a blended family. As families are combined, children habitually have the slightest amount of control. Notably, they also may be facing profound emotions that they have never felt before. They may be heartbroken over a parent’s passing or their annulment. Children may be guessing out how to steer two diverse homes with two dissimilar expectations for them. They may feel injury, hindrance, and unhappiness. In fact, they may also deal with these sentiments through behavioral problems.
When children are regulating to a new step parent, they can be muddled by undistinguishable expectations. Is their parent’s companion a parent too? If not, then how will the child and adult relate to each other? If the new spouse has kids, a child will have even more adjustments. Frequently, when families are blended, a child’s birth order is thrown off. To be clear, the oldest child may no longer be the superior. Equally, the baby may no longer be the darling of the family. These are giant tests that children often need help circumnavigating.
Step Families and Changes for Adults
Adults face immense changes just as children do in a blended family. As an illustration, becoming a pair or establishing a marriage cannot be the only concentration for parents/step parents. Couples have to create their own bond while navigating the entire family through the blending progression. As a result, each spouse may need to found new relationships. If one of the companions has never parented before, then those are abilities need to be cultivated and applied. If a spouse is not going to take a dynamic part in childrearing, then the character they will play needs to be elucidated and recognized.
Get Help for Your Blended Family
If you or any one of your family members are having trouble coping because of your blended family, then you should see a Thriveworks Blended Family Therapist or Counselor in Woodstock, GA. We are trained in identifying the signs and symptoms in order to start therapy as soon as possible. In fact, our office is conveniently located and discrete. Thriveworks Blended Family Counselors in Woodstock, GA offer daytime, evening, and weekend appointments to accommodate you with your busy schedule.
Seeing a Thriveworks Blended Family Counselor in Woodstock means that there is never a waiting list and that you’ll be able to get an appointment in 24-48 hours. Surprisingly, getting help for your blended family may be more affordable than you thought as we accept most major insurance plans.
Truly, our blended family counselors have undergone demanding training and they are well-qualified with helping people lessen, and sometimes diminish, the presence of negative symptoms associated with blended families in their lives. Take that initial step toward curing your blended family issues by scheduling an appointment with a Thriveworks Blended Family Counselor in Woodstock now.
