Family Counseling Services in Antioch, IL.

Family therapy is complex nowadays exacerbated by high divorce rates and blended families. There's an necessary built-in awareness and empathy that has to exist in order to help these families. It requires more than knowledge and understanding, but rather an ability to read, interpret and redirect not one individual but an entire group of individuals who are invested in each other and needing insight, guidance and intervention. Not easy. Family Systems theory drives my work in this realm. It's all about the relationship and the impact each person has on the other. I've been trained in Gottman Couples Therapy - a leading expert in this area.

The family is a very important and formative group in society and the magnitude of the effects of family dynamics cannot go ignored. We look at the individual roles that each member plays in the family unit and we strive for every voice to be heard. We set family therapy rules, so that we can provide a respectful place to process family concerns, trauma, and other past situations.

Family therapy needs to be engaging for it to be helpful. It can be daunting, with some family members not feeling safe enough to say what they truly feel. Each family member deserves to be understood, and to be a part of something special. The family therapist needs to connect with each member of the family. Encouraging humor, creativity, and stretching comfort levels are all part of the process.

Does it seem like your family is just off? or maybe like one person is to blame? Sometimes, the adults think that a child is root cause of an issue, but many times they may be the symptom to a bigger family issue. Many times I work with kids whose behaviors have escalated, and parents are looking for support. I then walk alongside them and the child to help identify the symptoms, the underlying issues as a family, and work towards living a more fulfilling life. Most times youth learn new ways to cope, as well as parents learning to decipher the codes that kids are trying to tell us. Call me for a free phone consultation and I'll help you assess if family therapy is right for you!

My greatest desire and joy is to meet with families who want to learn how to communicate better in the home, to listen to each other, respect each other and in short, to get along well. I counsel from my belief that the mother and father are the leaders of their family. However, I treat each individual family member with the respect they deserve, and by listening to and addressing each family member's issues within the family. I used Person-Centered, Family Systems and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in working with families, because I believe these counseling theories work best in the 'real world' where families really live, dealing with REAL problems in getting along with each other.

In my family therapy approach, I focus on fostering open communication and understanding within the family unit. By creating a safe space, I encourage each member to express their feelings and perspectives without judgment. Utilizing techniques such as systemic exploration and narrative therapy, I help families identify underlying patterns, conflicts, and strengths. Together, we work towards resolving conflicts, improving relationships, and establishing healthier dynamics, empowering families to navigate challenges and thrive.

Life is complicated. It is hard to create and maintain healthy relationships with those we love the most. There are many different thoughts and feelings, from the past and present, that exist in all of our interactions with one another. It isn’t always simple, whether we are trying to effectively communicate feelings, establish rules for the household, navigate the waters of intimacy, guide our children toward a successful future or simply attempting to provide a healthy meal while working, studying, and cleaning. The world and our family lives are increasingly more complex. Though we all have the tools within ourselves and within our relationships to create thelives we want. Through our psychotherapy approaches whether parenting coaching, couples or...(view profile to read more)

Families can find themselves in a rut with communication issues. Mr. Edleman likes to bring those issues to light and help everyone get a better understanding of how each other is feeling. Mr. Edleman also helps provide the tools you never knew you had to be better at communicating. He also provides unique treatment planning for the whole family.