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Laurie Agee Strauss, MFT is a family therapist in Grass Valley, CA specializing in family therapy.
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Phone Visits - good old-fashioned technology for those who don't want to worry about appearance or who have might have internet bandwidth limitations; a little bit like connecting with an old friend, but with a counselor instead
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Couples Therapy
Couples therapy refers to a specific type of counseling where relationship issues are the focus of the treatment. It used to be referred to as marriage counseling and still may be called that in many places, but because participants are not always married to each other, couples therapy is a more accurate name.
Closely related to family therapy, couples therapy is a type of counseling that seeks to help couples improve their relationship. A therapist may teach each partner in the relationship specific skills, such as managing or expressing their emotions, conflict resolution, communication skills, and problem solving. Both people in the couple need to be committed to learning new skills themselves as well as putting effort into supporting the relationship. The typical goals of couples therapy are to decrease conflict, unhappiness, and resentment, as well as increase communication, intimacy, and connection.
Couples therapy may be offered privately, at a university, or in a group practice. It is usually short-term therapy, lasting a few weeks until the participants have learned new skills and have the ability to repair their relationship. Its effectiveness depends on the willingness of both participants to commit to therapy and make the relationship a priority. For many couples it can be extremely helpful.
Family Issues
The famed writer Leo Tolstoy once wrote, "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." Family issues are problems that occur amongst members of an immediate, extended, or adopted family. Many forms of family issues exist and can vary in intensity and in duration. Nearly every family will experience a negative family issue at some point.
Each family member can be affected by an issue in an individual and unique way, typically depending on age, maturity, and involvement. This means that family issues are often inequitable, with one or more family members bearing a disproportionate weight of the problem. A frequent example is parental divorce. While both parents may appreciate the immediate relief, divorce can rapidly threaten a developing child's sense of stability and self-confidence. Similarly, a mother who is subject to domestic abuse may conceal the issue in order to shield her children from her distress. In some cases, family issues are generational; a father may cause residual guilt or disagreements from his childhood to carry forward to his own son. While each family's experience is unique, common family issues can include:
Some family issues are inevitable – such as retirement and minor lifestyle disagreements – while others can be unexpected and dramatic. Unsafe household environments, abuse, and neglect can lead to severe trauma and intervention by social services or law enforcement.
Most common family issues can be addressed through therapy with one or more family members. Family therapy involves sessions led by a licensed mental health therapist. These sessions often include family discussion, resolution strategies, and other activities to promote family harmony. Another form of treatment for family issues is couples counseling, in which a couples counselor can help spouses communicate and employ problem-solving techniques to improve the strength of their relationship. For children, specialized child therapy can help children and adolescents manage and overcome family issues with age-appropriate methods.
Some people find individual therapy or counseling beneficial in resolving family issues, especially for those who are unable to attend family therapy with other family members. Therapists may encourage the creation of family boundaries. At an extreme, therapy may cause an adult to come to the conclusion that communication with a narcissistic parent must stop in order to preserve mental health and wellbeing.
Self-Esteem Issues
Self-esteem is the value one assigns to oneself based on a complex combination of factors such as confidence, identity, sense of belonging, and self-image, among others. Self-esteem plays a critical role in determining one's happiness and overall well-being. Those with a very positive self-perception are considered to have "high" self-esteem, whereas those with negative self-perception have "low" self-esteem. Self-esteem does not dictate one's true intelligence, skills, looks, or accomplishments, although it can undermine one's motivation and opportunities. Successful people can have low self-esteem, and in some cases, that low self-esteem might motivate people to work harder at establishing themselves. Self-esteem is also not a binary scale, but a broad spectrum that people may move up or down throughout the course of their lives.
Humans begin to gain self-esteem in childhood from being cared for by adults and reaching natural milestones such as learning how to tie one's shoes. Self-esteem evolves through adolescence and adulthood, and can change drastically based on one's positive and negative experiences. It's important to develop healthy self-esteem to navigate through challenges, make decisions, and gain motivation to pursue interests.
Self-esteem issues can influence one's emotions, behavior, relationships, and world view. Self-esteem issues frequently arise from low self-esteem. Low self-esteem can be caused by factors such as trauma, caregiver neglect, abuse, bullying, and academic, social, or professional difficulties. Stressful life events such as parental divorce, caregiver conflict, and financial problems may also contribute to low self-esteem. In recent years, researchers have highlighted the influence of social media in negatively impacting adolescents' mental health. Common signs of low self-esteem include:
Excessive self-esteem can also be problematic in that it can hinder one's ability to form relationships with others. People with extremely high self-esteem may appear to be conceited or entitled. Some researchers suggest very high self-esteem can lead people to engage in more risk-taking behaviors. Causes of excessive self-esteem are less well-known, but may include upbringing, personality, and cognitive biases.
Fortunately, self-esteem issues can be readily addressed at any time. Positive self-affirmations recognizing one's own accomplishments can raise low self-esteem. Accepting one's own weaknesses and imperfections can benefit those with both low and high self-esteem. People with self-esteem issues often find therapy is an effective means to improve their self-esteem and mental health. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help people with self-esteem issues identify and change destructive patterns of thought. Support groups, family counseling, and antidepressant medication may also help with self-esteem issues.
Maintaining a positive outlook and belief in oneself can go a long way towards forming healthy self-esteem. Developing a strong sense of self can be important for well-being and contributes to overall happiness and success in life.
She has a state license in California.
Licensed In: California
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Ms. Laurie Strauss is a family therapy specialist in San Francisco, CA. Ms. Strauss has obtained a license to practice in California.
