Family Conflict
Nothing puts a family under stress like having a child who is struggling. Working to resolve family conflict is one of the strong suits of Capstone’s expert therapy team as well as one of the primary emphases of our program. When a child is struggling with their mental health or behaviors and attitudes that bring them to the point of needing a residential treatment, it adds to the overall stress and conflict in the home.
As with all the areas of struggle that Capstone deals with, family conflict has the power to damage, even destroy, relationships – if it is not worked through. However, if worked through with family conflict counseling, it has the power to be transformative and grow relationships to a deeper level of connection and intimacy.
Family Conflict Impact
Usually when parents have more than one child, if one is struggling to the point of coming to Capstone, the other one is usually what we call the “Golden Child.” This child is the one who is excelling in their school achievements and/or their social connections and/or their youth group and so on. From a systemic perspective, there is a sort of unconscious effort to balance the “Family Boat” and counterbalance the child who is struggling and causing family stress and conflict. We always tell parents that the Golden Child, or as some say, the Hero Child, is one we worry about just as much as their son at Capstone. The Golden Child role often holds a high rate of depression and even suicide, due to their self-imposed, although noble, pressure to be perfect.
Family Conflict with Parents
Sometimes the family will have stress and conflict with the parents, either individually, or in their marriage. Remember, Capstone mostly draws parents who don’t lack in love, effort and good intention in their family and that all of us go through marital struggles and personal valleys. When we do, we most often try to power our way through with it because we don’t want to hurt the people in our family, especially the children. This kind of family conflict often adds stress on the children even without the reason being openly known by the individual family members.
How can Capstone help?
Working to resolve all types of family conflict through family therapy is one of our strengths and a part of our work with every family. Remember, the family may or may not be a part of the problem, but they are always the primary source for solutions. Our work with families is to help them to be closer, deeper, stronger, and healthier.
Capstone offers far more than family conflict counseling, serving as a residential treatment center for young men ages 14-26 who struggle a wide range of hurts, struggles, compulsions, addictions and other self-destructive behaviors. We provide a Christ-centered environment to help our residents, and their families, overcome those struggles. Learn more about our approach to treating young men here.