Family Counseling Services in Ramsey, MN.

As children we learn how relationships work from our families. Families have subtle and not-so-subtle rules about how to treat each other that get passed down from generation to generation. When these patterns result in hurt and misunderstanding, family therapy is an opportunity for change. If you're uncomfortable with how you feel in your family, or how you act with family members or loved ones, reflecting on the patterns you've learned and connecting with your emotions will help you choose how to relate, instead of being in reactive mode. I create a safe place where family members have the opportunity to learn to express needs and support each other in healthy ways.

I am a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist and have experience working with a wide variety of families. I am committed to providing a warm, respectful and impactful therapeutic experience for all the families I work with. I understand and appreciate that every family is different. We will all work together to create change that is beneficial for everyone involved.

Family therapy is needed when the family isn't working well. Maybe there are a lot of fights between parents and children or maybe one of the family members is using drugs or alcohol. Family therapy is a place where the whole family can talk about what is bothering them. Sometimes people want more closeness and sometimes family members want more distance. Family therapy is a great way to identify and sort out these issues.

I strongly believe that family therapy is one of the most effective ways to create change quickly. When everyone is on the same page and working toward the same goals, it is much easier to achieve symptom-relief. Family therapy is particularly important when working with kids and teens as they often don't have enough control over their lives to make significant improvements on their own. I trained in marriage and family therapy so this form of counseling is a specialty for me and a significant factor in why I decided to become a therapist.

Family therapy is highly effective for depression, addictions, anxiety, unresolved grief, ADHD, coping with health problems, and parenting problems for all kinds of childhood and adolescent problems. My approach to family therapy involves helping a family to communicate and listen more effectively, better manage feelings, learn to better negotiate, effectively set limits, develop problem-solving skills, reduce stress as well as increase cohesion in your family. Family therapy often uses homework assignments to help the family practice the skills that are taught in the session. My approach is low key, supportive and focuses on practical things that family member can do resolve problems.

We work with families to help resolve conflict, smooth out relationships, and restore the family as a source of stability, peace, and caring. We help families heal from the impact of life transitions, relationship and parenting issues, substance abuse/addiction, mental health disorders, trauma, and grief and loss. We have therapists who are specifically trained and licensed to work with couples and families. We live in a connected world, and those connections are part of both our problems and our solutions. Our therapists are specialists who understand this whole-system approach. Visit our website at http://www.centerlifecounseling.com for more information or to contact us for scheduling.

Most family therapists inadvertently create more chaos through their well-intentioned efforts to assist a family move through a change process. Why? Brains are inherently dysregulated (all of us, may I add) and most talking and dialoguing misses brain-centric problems that need more intensive help. Many times the emotional trauma created by years of solving problems ineffectively can wreak havoc on the brain's parasympathetic nervous system, not ever giving the family a break from flight or fight thinking. Contact us for an innovative neuroscience solution to family dystunction. Kevin@kevinflemingphd.com or 877-606-6161

My specialized training in Marriage and Family therapy, with hundreds of hours of supervised relationship therapy, helps me see families as more than a collection of individuals. Frequently, families fail not simply due to character flaws or individual psychopathology, but because they don't see the effect they have on one another. Most families are made up of good people who nevertheless bring the worst out of each other. We will work to undo the negative family pattern and create new more effective ways of negotiating conflict and enriching each other.

Do you feel disconnected from your wife or kids? Does it feel like you’ve lost control of your home? Or have you experienced something difficult within your family that’s not been resolved? If so, I can help. As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist I’m an expert in relationships, and have been trained to identify the patterns within families that aren’t working, develop healthier ones, improve communication and understanding, and help families forge a new path forward. This often looks like a combination of family sessions, parent sessions, and individual sessions. I provide online therapy over HIPAA-secure video, and if given the opportunity, would be honored to serve your family.

Our lives are impacted greatly by the health of our family relationships. It typically doesn't take long when working with a family for members to start demonstrating in session some of the issues that exist. We strive to search what issues lie beneath the behaviors. Breaking bad communication patterns is a common place to start. The focus is on solutions, not blame.

Most family therapists inadvertently create more chaos through their well-intentioned efforts to assist a family move through a change process. Why? Brains are inherently deregulated (all of us, may I add) and most talking and dialoguing misses brain-centric problems that need more intensive help. Many times the emotional trauma created by years of solving problems ineffectively can wreak havoc on the brain's parasympathetic nervous system, not ever giving the family a break from flight or fight thinking. Contact us for an innovative neuroscience solution to family dysfunction. Kevin@kevinflemingphd.com or 877-606-6161.

Family therapy is a unique experience to invite any or all family members to join at various times during the counseling process, as determined by the family and the therapist. Families work as a system -- what one person does affects the rest of the family, and vice versa. Family therapy allows an opportunity to come together to work on and understand the unique dynamics of your family. We have worked with parents and children, as well as adult married couples and in laws, blended families, and more.

Families are complicated. Sometimes those we love are the hardest to be around, often because of old hurts, personality differences, and poor communication. If you’re struggling with issues around family, I can help coach you through the challenges, teach you new strategies, and help you gain new insights. Whether you’re needing the accountability to set boundaries with difficult family members, or looking for new skills to heal relationships that are strained, I’m here to help. At Lion Counseling, our mission is to help you escape the cages that hold you back and become the lion God created you to be.