FAMILIES & ADOLESCENTS
Families
Families are unique social systems, with their own set of relational patterns, dynamics, roles and expectations.
Regardless of the origin of a problem — whether it started with one individual or the family system as a whole — we know from research and experience that involving families in the solution is almost always beneficial. People cannot simply be understood in isolation, but rather as parts of a whole. By working with families to identify problems, improve communication, resolve conflict and promote mindfulness skills to help regulate strong emotions and reactions, families can heal and solutions can be found.
Adolescents
Being a teenager has never been easy and in today’s sexualized,
violent and competitive culture, it’s not getting any easier.
Navigating peer pressure, school performance and family tension can be
overwhelming. We help teens and their families (we don’t leave them
out) cope with the emotional dysregulation and communication challenges
involved in this often turbulent stage of life. Some of the typical
issues we deal with include:
- Family conflict and need for improved communication
- Self-mutilation or other self-destructive behavior
- Eating disorders and body image concerns
- Relationship issues
- Substance use issues
- Identity
and Self-confusion (who am I? why don’t I like my friends or family
anymore? What do I want? My feelings overwhelm and confuse me behavioral
patterns and impulsivity) - Social Anxiety, Generalized Anxiety
- Depression and other Affect Disorders
- Relational aggression and bullying issues
Childhood Anxiety
When your child worries in a way that prevents her from fully participating in play, school, and family life or even routine daily activities its time to get help. Our approach is active, caring and focused on evidenced based behavioral methods. Even better, we involve you, the parent, in treatment. We teach you and your child skills for coping with dysfunctional worries and anxiety. Because life happens outside the therapy office it is important for you to learn how to coach your child through challenges as they arise on a day to day basis. This not only helps your child, it empowers you. Whether her fears center on separation, illness or germs, vomiting or other perceived dangers we can regain your child’s childhood.
Couples
Even the best relationships experience difficulties. How these challenges are handled can lead either to greater connection and intimacy or a relationship mired in conflict and gridlock. Helping couples cope with and manage relational issues, strengthen commitment, de-escalate emotions and increase positive interactions — something noted in happy couples at a rate of 20 to 1 – is all part of the work. Our goal is to help couples break through barriers in communication to achieve greater understanding of both themselves and their partner — and start to hear the other’s grain of truth embedded in the issues.
