My job is to help facilitate respectful, honest, and positive communication between family members. Within the family therapy process, we may also problem solve and negotiate difficulties.

 

We may work on clarifying boundaries, expectations, and misunderstandings. A general goal of family therapy is to have more peace and happiness within the home setting. We also want to promote healing within relationships and strengthen family ties.

 

Most often, family therapy is “talk therapy,” as we focus on communication and relationship difficulties. With very young children, we may consider a type of treatment called “filial therapy.” In this treatment, parents are taught how to do play therapy with their children for the purpose of strengthening family relationships and helping kids to work through unresolved issues.

 

Often times, problems affect an entire family and it is therefore, important to involve one or several family members in the therapy. Common problems that might affect a family include:

• • Blended/step-family issues
• • Parent separation/divorce
• • Relationship conflict or tension between a parent and child
• • A mental or physical illness of a family member
• • Adoption issues
• • Loss and grief issues
• • Other family change stressors