Families in crisis require professional attention to help them back to a functional coexistence. There are a number of reasons that a family may be experiencing a crisis, ranging from domestic violence to addiction to mental disorders. What they have in common is that they are not things the average person can navigate with common sense alone. The reason there are so many services available to help families in crisis is because the origin of the problems is often very hard to understand. Professionals are needed in order to understand the underlying cause of the crisis and help remedy it.

There are different services available to families in crisis depending on the severity and urgency of the crisis. For example:

• Urgent crisis’ such as domestic violence, severe addiction or severe mental disorder. If any family member is in danger of physical harm, medical professionals and law enforcement should be brought into the situation. Shelters are also an intelligent option as they offer protection from violence and a place to heal. When a family member is struggling with a severe addiction that is threatening their physical health, rehabilitation services and medical detoxification services should become involved to separate the person from the object of their addiction.
• After the initial step has been taken and help has been solicited. This stage of recovery is largely dependent on the situation. If there is still a threat of violence, continued separation, a restraining order or supervised visits may be in order. If the family member causing harm is having some success with their recovery, other forms of treatment are viable. A recovering addict has the option of living in a halfway house or sober living unit until they are ready to be independent again. Intensive family counseling is a wise step for families who experienced trauma together.
• When families are becoming secure in their recovery. When recovery is starting to become a way of life, families are typically ready for a transition into a different phase of recovery. Professional counseling may still be important, but many families begin turning toward sponsors, extended family, friends and support groups for ongoing encouragement.

Canadians are resilient people with strong family values. The divorce rate in Canada is lower than it is in the United States. However, Canadians live in some tough winter conditions, and mental unhealthiness is abundant in Canada. This contributes to crisis situations within families. Canadian family crisis situations may involve domestic violence, mental disorders, addiction or substance abuse, money issues, relationship infidelity, divorce or separation, criminal activity or a death within the family. These crisis’ are observed around the world within family units, but in Canada they can be unique in subtle ways. For instance, Canadians are statistically within their home environments for greater amounts of time during winter, so the health of their home environment can have a greater impact on them than in other parts of the world.

When family situations become trying, families should be aware that counseling is available to them. Counseling services for families in Canada are abundant. There are both private and public counselors available to people in Canada, although there are far more private counselors than there are public because counseling is a viable business. However, professional counselors and psychologists are highly educated individuals who are worth their price tag. The average family that receives counseling together after going through adverse circumstances reduces the impact of the adversity proportionately. A professional counselor assists a family in crisis by intervening into their dysfunction, assessing the underlying cause of their problems, repairing the damaged connections between family members by teaching them how to work through problems in a healthy manner and overseeing their recovery as a family unit.

Canadian families suffer from the same family crisis’ that all other Westernized countries suffer from. In many respects, family problems are universal, but the cultures we exist within have a heavy impact on our family lives. Problems of narcissism, self-focus, mental illness, impulse control problems and addiction affect Canadian families in a negative way. Seldom are family members looking to hurt one another. Usually they are ignorant of how their choices and behaviors are affecting their families, or of how they can change themselves. With the help of a professional counselor, families can move toward recovery together.

When families are in crisis, it is important to know where to go for help. There are a number of unique situations that may require different types of resources in order to cope in a healthy manner. For example, a family trying to support an alcoholic family member will need different resources to turn to than a family trying to recover from infidelity within a marriage. It is a given that any family crisis requires the support of professional counselors and the family’s support system. No family in crisis should ever be without these things. Families going through strife together should always have a professional counselor for objectivity and expert navigation through problems. They should also reach out to friends and extended family for additional support. Apart from these universal therapies, some other resources that apply to specific situations are listed below.

• Addiction or substance abuse. Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are two long established groups that bring substance abusers together to support one another, talk about their struggles and encourage one another’s recoveries. Most cities and towns have organized addiction and substance abuse resources available to the public in the form of rehabs, shelters, counselors personal sponsors and support groups. Addiction treatment centers may be public or private, and can be the most effective solution to addiction and substance abuse. They will frequently offer family counseling services as well.
• Domestic violence. Domestic violence is a very urgent family crisis to remedy. It can lead to permanent physical injury as well as permanent emotional injury. If the physical effects of domestic violence have been severe, the hospital is the first resource to take advantage of. In some situations, it is appropriate to file a police report, but in other situations, different measures are called for. Domestic violence shelters are an excellent resource for people who need immediate safety, and counselors and support groups are excellent resources for people in recovery.
• Infidelity, fighting, and mental disorders. Other family crisis should seek the services of professional counselors and support groups in order to begin the healing process that is needed after adverse family experiences.

Family is a blessing, but families go through hard times together. In these hard times, it is tempting to want to close off from the world and not go to anyone for help. One of the effects of hardships is the feeling that we are isolated in our problems, but nothing could be farther from the truth. Approximately a third of all families go through adverse situations that warrant professional counseling. Despite the instinct to close off, the best thing that you can do for yourself and your family is seek professional counseling to help everyone process and recover from adversity.

When it comes to family crisis, the family members who are creating the crisis are often in denial of their own behavior. Or perhaps they are aware of their behavior but do not know how to change. This is where professional counseling can begin the healing process. Professional counselors and interventionists are not only for people who seek help on their own. They can be hired to approach the family members who are creating adverse situations to make them aware of their behavior and their options.

When an individual or a family unit receives counseling for help through a crisis, the benefits are enormous. Professional counselors are trained to approach sensitive matters with tact, understanding and patience. They lead interactions between people to facilitate communication and understanding within the family unit. They help bring family members onto the same wavelength so that they have the tools they need to rebuild the strength of their relationships.

Through communication and understanding comes healing. Professional counseling helps people in crisis understand how what they are doing is unhealthy and is creating problems for their family. They work with the person to help them recover from the underlying causes of their adverse behavior. And they work with the family as a whole to help them support and appreciate one another. When a family takes professional counseling seriously, they can make enormous strides together.

The traditional Canadian family unit consists of a mother, a father and some number of children living in a house together, with one or two parents working and children in school. There are many model Canadian families who solve their conflicts peacefully and in a healthy manner, but a majority of Canadian families are affected by some kind of dysfunction. Approximately a quarter of Canadian families experience adverse situations due to their family dynamic that are severe enough to leave some or all of the family members traumatized. When this kind of damage is inflicted on families, they must know to turn to professional counseling to help them cope with the crisis they have experienced together. Some of the most common crisis’ found within the Canadian family unit are as follow.

• Domestic violence. One of the most traumatic events and circumstances that can befall families is domestic violence. This is defined as physical violence that occurs within the home. Physical violence between family members is a very urgent crisis that warrants immediate counseling.
• Divorce. Although it is very common today, divorce continues to have detrimental ramifications on members of the family. All family members, especially children, should have professional psychological help processing the ramifications of divorce.
• Death of a family member. Death is hard enough to cope with when it is from natural causes, but when it is untimely, it is traumatizing and deeply painful. Families should have help from a counselor when they are grieving a loved one.
• Addiction and substance abuse. When a family contains someone who is abusing or addicted to a substance, it creates a volatile situation for everyone in the family. Children are particularly vulnerable. Seek professional intervention for family members who are addicts or substance abusers.
• Mental disorders. Although mental disorders are extremely common, they can have profound negative effects on the family unit and can be passed down through generations. Mental disorders require professional counseling and sometimes medication.