Family Counseling

Family therapy is a form of talk therapy that focuses on the improvement of interfamilial relationships and behaviors.

A family unit is a group of people who care about each other. In family therapy, a group can consist of many different combinations of loved ones, such as parents/guardians and their children, siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends, kinship caregivers, etc.

Therapy can help with situations such as:

Adjusting to a new life change (like moving) or a medical condition.
Changes and challenges that come with aging.
Death and grief.
Relationship conflicts, such as parent-child conflict or sibling conflict.

Family Counseling is meant to decrease the level of conflict and achieve a reasonable level of connectedness and harmony where members support, help, and are concerned for each other. Family therapy is an evidence-based treatment that’s grounded in theory and skill-based dialogue (conversations). It provides a supportive, nonjudgmental and safe environment that allows your family to talk openly.

What to expect during sessions:

With the guidance of a mental health professional, you work on improving the interactions and communication among your family members. You work to incorporate healthy behaviors to improve your family’s functioning and well-being. Family therapy can also help you understand and help treat a family member’s mental health or behavioral condition. Your therapist may: Ask each family member about their concerns and challenges and hopes for family therapy. Encourage everyone to talk and listen to each other. Clarify everyone’s words and feelings so everyone understands each other. Help your family members understand the impact of their words and behaviors. Help your family explore how you can work together to make positive changes. Suggest strategies for changing problematic behaviors and patterns. As conversation is the main part of family therapy, it’s essential for all family members who are participating to be actively involved in the therapy. The trust and relationship between you and your therapist are essential to working together effectively and benefiting from the therapy. The frequency and amount of sessions vary from family to family depending on their unique circumstances. Therapy may involve just a few sessions or they could continue for several months or more. Your therapist may suggest meeting with family members individually, as well as in a group.