We partner with families by listening and working together with them as they navigate both specific challenges and everyday life. We provide families across the lifespan tools to navigate their intertwined relationships and the challenges they face.
Family dynamics are complicated. They are constantly changing, and evolve over time as the family's circumstances naturally change. Families may face a challenge due to a new addition to the family, the loss of a loved one, a relocation, illness or something else entirely.
Whether your family includes yourself and your aging parents, or you, your spouse and your children, we are here to help you to understand one another better and to learn to move forward with love and respect for each other.
To do so takes time, effort and an openness to both resetting the way you see yourself and your loved ones, as well as ceasing unhelpful patterns of behavior. Our clinicians are ready to guide you there.
Teletherapy sessions are available.
Know When It’s Time for Your Family to See a Therapist
Therapy can help families understand how their relationships work as a unit and how those relationship dynamics impact the family's response to everything from major life events to simple tasks of daily living.
Our clients typically reach out to us because they are having trouble managing their interactions, or a member of the family often feels angry, sad or anxious. No matter what stage of life your family is going through, therapy can be among the best choices you can make to help you work together toward meaningful change.
What to Expect When Partnering with the Family Institute
At The Family Institute, we've treated thousands of families from a wide variety of backgrounds and walks of life. We also treat people with a variety of behavioral, cognitive and emotional issues across developmental stages — from early childhood well into older adulthood.
Research and a family focus inform every step of our collaborative treatment approach. Our process begins with developing a customized treatment plan and goals for your family. When necessary, we collaborate with other programs within The Family Institute, such as our Transitions to Parenthood program in order to provide the most complete, comprehensive care.
Family of Origin Therapy
Also called Trans-generational Family Therapy, this unique approach has a long, time-tested history in family therapy. It involves two or more generations of the same family working to resolve current or long-standing issues.
Not all of our clients undergo Family of Origin therapy, but they can request it or the therapist may suggest it when appropriate. For example, one member of a couple may request a Family of Origin approach if he or she is "repeating" patterns of behavior that existed in their family growing up, or a therapist may suggest it if multiple family generations are struggling through issues in running their family business.
Typically, the treatment involves adults and their parents, but grandparents or great-grandparents may also work through the sessions when necessary. The work is often conducted intensively over a short period of time, given likely geographical constraints.
Adult clients often assume that their parents will be resistant to therapy, but very often parents are interested. Chances are, if you feel an issue in your relationship with another family member, that family member senses something is wrong as well.
Our therapists work to help the adult child to see their parents as people and see their parents' constraints within their generation and personal development. This approach is typically short-term and humanizing, as our therapists help heal trans-generational wounds.
