Family Therapy

"Feelings of worth can flourish only in an atmosphere where individual differences are appreciated, mistakes are tolerated, communication is open, and rules are flexible."

— Virginia Satir

Family therapy is collaborative work between family members and a therapist, focused on strengthening communication, working through conflict, and building healthier ways of relating to one another. This can include parent-teen relationships, parent-adult child relationships, sibling dynamics, blended families, or any combination of family members navigating a shared challenge. Sessions offer a space where every voice can be heard without anyone being cast as "the problem." Your therapist doesn't take sides; they help the family understand the patterns at play and build a path forward together. We utilize several different types of therapy, dependent on your therapist and your family's needs. Learn more about how we approach family therapy below.

  • Bowen Family Systems

    Looks at how patterns and emotional dynamics get passed down across generations, helping family members understand their role in the larger system rather than reacting from old, automatic patterns.

  • Structural Family Therapy

    Looks at the roles, boundaries, and hierarchy within a family system, helping restructure unhealthy dynamics (like a parentified child or blurred boundaries) into healthier, more functional patterns.

  • Narrative Family Therapy

    Helps your family separate identities from the problem, reframing individual struggles as something the whole family can respond to together rather than blame on one member.

  • Strategic Family Therapy

    A focused, action-oriented approach that targets specific problem behaviors directly, using practical interventions and assigned tasks to interrupt unhelpful cycles and create fast, tangible change.

  • Family Psychoeducation

    Provides the family with clear, practical information about a member's diagnosis, condition, or challenge, along with tools and strategies to support them. The goal is to build understanding and reduce blame or confusion within the system.

  • Parent-child conflict

  • Parent-teen conflict

  • Parent-adult child relationships

  • Sibling conflict

  • Blended family adjustment

  • Family communication

  • Parenting support

  • Adoption/foster family dynamics

  • Multigenerational conflict

  • Caregiver stress

  • Family transitions (divorce, death, relocation)

  • Grief and loss (as a family)

  • Behavioral issues in children/teens

  • Family response to a member's mental health or substance use

  • Estrangement and reconciliation

Areas We Support:

Who We Work With:

Families come in all different shapes, sizes, and dynamics. Whether biological or chosen, the relationships we have with our family is a major contributing factor to our wellbeing. We welcome all family structures in our practice, including but not limited to:

  • Families with queer parents or queer family members

  • Families with non-monogamous or open relationships

  • Chosen Family relationships

  • Families with attachment ruptures or estrangement

  • Neurodivergent families

  • Blended and non-traditional families

  • Intergenerational or collectivist family structures

  • Families supporting a member with serious mental illness

Meet Our Therapists!

Stages of Family Therapy

Engagement & Assessment

Therapy begins with a brief 15-20 minute phone call to assess for fit between the family and the therapist, followed by an initial session where the therapist meets with family members to build rapport and create a safe, open space for sharing. The therapist explains how family therapy works, gathers information about family dynamics, communication styles, and the concerns that brought the family in, and begins noticing patterns of interaction that may be contributing to current challenges.

Goal-Setting & Planning

Once the therapist has a clear picture of the family's dynamics, you'll work together to define what you're hoping to get out of therapy. Goals might range from improving communication to resolving a specific conflict, rebuilding trust, or addressing behavioral concerns. Your therapist helps break these into smaller, realistic steps so progress feels tangible, and works collaboratively with the family to make sure everyone understands their role in reaching them.

Intervention & Skill Building

This is where the core work happens. Your therapist introduces tools and exercises suited to your family's specific goals — this might include practicing new communication skills, working through role-play of difficult conversations, or learning how to express needs and listen without judgment. Between sessions, your therapist may also suggest activities to practice at home, helping the skills built in session translate into daily family life.

Integration & Reflection

Families begin to consolidate the skills and insights they’ve gained through therapy. The focus shifts from active intervention to reflecting on progress and reinforcing positive changes. By the end of this stage, families have developed greater self-awareness and emotional resilience, and they feel prepared to apply these skills in future situations without the therapist’s guidance.