Families

Sometimes the issue or problem being faced is not necessarily limited to one individual—even though that may at first appear to be the situation. In these cases, it is important to explore issues that have their origin in the family system. Through family counseling, it is possible to get at the root of problems by exploring how dysfunctional family dynamics contribute to psychological problems in one or more family members.

Although family counseling may be appropriate in many different situations, we typically use this approach in the following types of cases:

• The parents are having conflict with or are concerned about the behavior of their adolescent or young adult son or daughter.
• There has been a significant change in the family system (e.g., separation, divorce, illness or death), which is causing or could be expected to cause emotional distress.
• The family is having difficulty with communication, conflict resolution, and problem-solving.
• A change in living arrangements as a result of divorce or the blending of families is causing adjustment problems for the parents or children.

Family therapy tends to be shorter in duration (e.g. 5-10 sessions) than individual therapy. During family counseling sessions, we will facilitate conversations that the family might be reluctant or unable to address on its own. We will provide an atmosphere of safety, trust and support, which will encourage all of the family members—particularly the children—to express their true thoughts and feelings. We will moderate and mediate the interactions between family members, make observations regarding healthy and unhealthy interpersonal patterns, suggest ways to enhance communication and problem-solving, and highlight other steps that might be taken to improve overall family functioning.