Ever felt like your head was banging into a brick wall all the time website? Relationships sometimes can make you feel like that. If you’re in the middle of a love affair, nothing is working. Or, you might be a parent whose child starts acting more like Dr. Jekyll than Mr. Hyde. It’s at this point that a marriage and/or family therapist comes in, like a lifeboat in a stormy water.

Think of a psychologist as a relationship sleuth, with only a sofa, tissues, and perhaps a Zen zen garden. The therapists dig deep in the mess of our lives to find clues about how emotions have gone out of control. They’re like human MRIs but instead of scanning your internal organs, these professionals are scanning your emotions and interactions. It’s a bit like finding the needle amongst a haystack. But the haystack in this case is your tangled-up relationships.

Jane and Mark – a typical married couple – felt like they spoke a different tongue. Jane cried, “He never listens!” Mark said, “She always nags!” Anyone can see that they need help. The therapist started peeling off layers of resentment just like an onions. The tears came in droves, just as you would when cutting an octopus. But the sessions turned their arguments into dialogues. It was magic. But there was actual work behind the scenes.

As emotional chiropractors, marriage and Family Therapists perform the same functions as emotional therapists. In readjusting misaligned views, they help restore the natural balance of families. These tools aren’t just Band-Aids. They can be used to build your future toolkit. Imagine how much better you can relate to your partner, children, parents, or even your dog. You’re upgrading your TV from a B&W to a 4K.

You might be wondering now how they manage these tough nuts. It’s no hocuspocus. It’s important to understand attachment styles, patterns of communication, and emotional triggers. Take the Smiths. It felt like they were unraveling a ball tangled with yarn. The initial chaos was overwhelming, but the tapestry they created at the end represented each shared emotion and understanding.

Personal bias makes us unable to see the faults we have. You might be convinced that you can handle arguments with aplomb, while your partner thinks you are overreacting. Therapists have a different perspective that can help them cut through. This is like a GPS system for your feelings. It recalculates when you make emotional mistakes.

The last thing is that therapy doesn’t work like a pill. You don’t feel good right away. It’s like slogging through the mud until you reach calm, clear water. Rome wasn’t built in a morning. Relationships are also important. Therapy helps you lay bricks carefully by guiding you through sweat and tears.

Parents, do not feel left behind. Family therapists can manage the circus called family life. The professionals are trained to handle the circus that is family life.

Cindy joked at one time that if manuals for love and parenting were available, the therapists’ business would be over. The therapists become this manual – a living, breathing guide for life’s unexpected curveballs. If you ever find yourself in an uncomfortable situation, or feel as if you are stepping from the fryingpan into the fire of life, it is worth reaching out. You shouldn’t feel ashamed to ask someone for directions if you find yourself lost among the emotions of others.

Think you’ll need a PhD just to understand therapists? The conversations are between real people, about real life. The conversations can feel like peeling the layers of a bandage. But they lead to healing. Grab the metaphorical magnifying glasses and jump into this journey. You’ll thank yourself in the future.

Ready to take the plunge? They’re the unsung heros in our lives, whether it’s to save a marriage or family, or even to make it through another family dinner. You can always rewrite your family’s history.