Is your family struggling with a difficult transition or conflict? 

• Are siblings struggling to get along? 
• Children in conflict with parents?
• Is your family adjusting to the loss of a family member? 
• Are you welcoming a new family member or blended family?
• Are you working through a divorce or separation? 
• Having trouble finding common ground? 
• Grieving time lost with extended family or friends?
• Is a family member’s illness causing strain?

Family therapy is a great option for families at all stages who are moving through challenging times together. It can feel exhausting and frustrating when our family isn’t operating at its best. All sorts of different stressors can cause changes in our relationships. Adjusting to new demands at work or school, the loss of ability to celebrate family or individual milestones, further isolation from those outside of our household, mixed with the potential for an over-saturation of time with those in our household, and grieving the loss of people and life experiences can rock our family to its core. 

Many families have faced challenges transitioning between in-person school and work, to online school and working from home. On top of that, the temporary halt to many activities and pastimes have left families feeling stuck and “cooped up.” It makes sense that without these outlets, you might be seeing more arguing, disagreements, and distance at home. 

As marriage and family therapists, we understand that change happens in relationships. When one part of a family changes, sometimes the rest of the family is left feeling out of balance or stuck. Changes in individual family members or the overall family structure may lead to conflict, hurt feelings, or resentment. Long-term conflict or unresolved issues within the family may even lead to members of the family shutting down or withdrawing. We know what it takes to get your family communicating and working towards healthier and enjoyable time together. 

 

Most families experience ups and downs. 

All of us go through periods of change, stress, or unhappiness. These periods – like the loss of a family member, a divorce, new or worsening behavioral problems, or a new baby or step-siblings joining the family – can impact each member of the family differently, and can create a change in the family dynamic. Even temporary stressors, such as a few months working from home, online school due to quarantine, or job loss, can cause long-lasting ripple effects that shift the relationships in your family.

Family therapy isn’t just for families with young or adolescent children. Many families with adult children can benefit from family therapy as well, particularly if there is a recent stressor such as a marriage, death, illness, or divorce impacting the family, or unresolved issues creating lasting impact on adult relationships. It’s never too late to heal, and sometimes that which couldn’t be accomplished early on is more easily healed as adults. Depending on your presenting issues, it can be helpful to attend therapy with siblings, parents, or the family unit as a whole to work towards healthier relationships. 

Many families avoid having open conversations about changes and transitions with other family members. This could be because you aren’t sure how to bring up the subject in your family; in your family it’s not typical and comfortable acknowledging that a recent adjustment is negatively impacting you; or you’re not sure if other family members are feeling the same and worry about burdening them. 

While you might not all be feeling the same way about the situation at hand, a trained therapist can help your family navigate these difficult conversations and find ways to better support and understand one another. 

 

Family dynamics impact our mental health. 

There are a lot of contributing factors that impact our mental health. Stressful situations at work or school, traumatic experiences, and even genetics can all have an impact. Sometimes though, anxiety, depression, behavioral issues, and other mental health challenges are connected to something much closer to home. A child’s symptoms may be related to something they are or have experienced. Sometimes, these symptoms or behaviors can be an indicator of problematic family dynamics, or a reaction to a family member’s temporary circumstances. Our expertise in working with families and relationships can help you and your family find peace and mutual understanding. 

In our sessions, we’ll help your family identify what possible contributions there are to the presenting issues and assist you in understanding how your family dynamics can impact these challenges. In family therapy, we work with the family system to make changes that benefit all. Unlike in individual therapy, in family therapy we are able to assess not only individual concerns, but also larger dynamics and patterns affecting the family as a whole. Because of this broader access, family therapy often brings faster change than individual treatment. 

Sometimes family members have seemingly competing agendas, large differences in opinions, and opposing needs. But when you work with a therapist specialized in understanding family dynamics and relationships, it becomes easier to address the underlying actions and reactions that are impacting your ability to function in a way that’s healthy and helpful for all. We’re able to help you work through and accept the differences, while also finding common ground to connect. 

 

But you may still have questions about family therapy…

Our family is struggling, but I’m not sure if we can afford therapy. 

Family therapy is an investment in the health and happiness of your family members and relationships. By working together on your relationships, you can fortify your ability to process through challenges and changes as a family unit. Spending time investing in your family can help you each have the tools to support each other in the long-term. 

We offer a variety of rates based on the experience and credentialing of the therapist to ensure that therapy is affordable and accessible for your family’s needs. A few insurances will reimburse for family therapy as well, depending on the diagnosis and plan.

 

We’re a very busy family, how will we find the time? 

We know that many families have a variety of different obligations and time constraints. We offer flexible scheduling with daytime, evening, and weekend hours to accommodate busy families. We do our best to meet your scheduling needs, using virtual and in-person depending on the clinician and your preferences. 

 

Your family can grow together, instead of apart. 

If you’d like to become a client, please click the “Request an Appointment” button at the top of this page.