For All Stages of Family Life

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We believe the family is the central unit of society and should offer comfort, safety and a healthy environment for both parents and children. Dysfunction or disruption can take a real toll on each family member in different ways. 

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Sometimes you may have an ongoing issue in your family, such as a family member dealing with a chronic mental illness. Other times, you may have just experienced a one-time traumatic event such as the death of a loved one. Either way, therapy can be helpful for each member of the family and either work through or prevent issues such as depression or substance abuse.

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Divorce

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Divorce is one of the most traumatic life events a person can experience, but it is incredibly common. Between 40 and 60% of marriages currently end in divorce. Divorce can have a deep impact on both the parents and children involved. Hurtful memories from divorce can reverberate throughout a person’s life, but a good counselor can help your family deal with the difficulties and pain in a constructive way.

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Parenting Counseling

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While parenting is an incredible joy, it can also be one of the greatest struggles in life and presents unique challenges that many have never faced before. The responsibility for your child’s safety, medical health, good boundaries, healthy interaction with others and emotional well-being can seem overwhelming. Our goal is to help you become the best caregivers you can be for your children.

Make no mistake: Receiving parenting counseling does not mean you are a “bad parent.” It means you want the very best for your children and that you care about your family’s well-being.

Parenting is extremely time-consuming and can present financial challenges as well. A good parenting relationship requires excellent communication and unity. When parents experience discord in their own relationship and send confusing messages to children, the children may act out in response and exhibit behavioral problems. Whatever issues you are experiencing, we aim to get to the root cause in our therapy.

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Single Parenting

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Single parenting comes with its own unique challenges. While any type of parenting is a huge financial and time commitment, single parenting is that much more difficult because you are solely responsible for the child’s well-being. Single parents are often more prone to depression and anxiety due to responsibility and isolation that can result. Counseling can help you find a way to manage and cope, especially if you have recently experienced a sudden change such as loss of or separation from a life partner.

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Co-parenting

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One of the most difficult parts of divorce or separation can be the responsibility of “co-parenting.” You both still want to be there for your child even though you no longer live together, and you want them to experience as little disruption as possible.

Co-parenting can be especially difficult when the relationship between you and your ex-spouse is still painful and strained. Perhaps you encounter great difficulty cooperating with one another. We may counsel each of you individually or both of you together, depending on your needs.

The main thing to remember in co-parenting counseling is that you are both doing this for the sake of your child. Your child can be your uniting force when past hurts are brought back into the picture and destructive habits resurface. You may even have habits that are unknowingly causing resentment on the part of your ex and pain to your child. Co-parenting counseling can bring these issues to the surface and deal with them so you can constructively partner together to build up your children going forward.

Watching you work through issues with your ex will help your children. You are setting a good example for them in handling difficult life issues and resolving conflict. By your willingness to undergo co-parenting counseling, you are demonstrating to your child that he or she is worth the sacrifice. You are modeling healthy habits that will help them solve their own relationship difficulties as they move forward in life.

 

Parent-Child Relationship Therapy

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Sometimes, due to an uncooperative parent who has used the child hurtfully against the other parent, or due to unresolved anger about past circumstances, a child may have trouble relating to a parent. There may be alienation or distance. We facilitate behavioral therapy as well as child therapy techniques such as play therapy that can involve the parent in a child’s healing as much as possible. You are the parent; we are the facilitators of your family’s healing and growth. We use this time to encourage positive interactions and associations between the parent and child, forming a bond that may have been broken by pain or mistrust.