How Do I Say This?: I Want Our Family To Go To Therapy

You want your family to go to therapy together, and you’re not sure how to bring it up. This is where I would start:

• “I found a therapist, and I would love for our family to go see them together. What do you think?”
• “I want our family to work through X, and I think a therapist could really help us.”
• “I know we haven't spoken in a while. I would like to reconnect, but we should meet with a therapist before that happens. Are you open to going with me?”
• “I want our family to communicate better. I found a therapist that can help us. Can I set up an appointment?”
• “I know you think we should be able to work this out on our own, but our family is having a lot of trouble. Can we go see a therapist together?”

As always, you can only control how you deliver this message. If you have a family that is unwilling or unable to consider therapy, you may be met with rejection, anger, or denial. If these statements do not work with your family, it might be more about their preconceived notions about therapy and not about how you said what you said. And, some families need time to understand and reflect. Their initial rejection may not last forever. It’s ok if they have questions or concerns. Use your own discretion here and know when to stop trying to get them to attend with you.