Family Counseling Services in Folcroft, PA.

Families are under tremendous pressure to function well together without having the skills to do that. I work with the family to develop skills in listening, appreciation, working more effectively as a team.In our current over-scheduled, over-pressured world, families are confronting problems they have little capacity to do anything about. We can tend to cope by getting stuck in a narrow range of behaviors and responses even if they are not helpful. A child who has learned to have temper tantrums when she is angry, and her parents who have learned to punish or pamper her, are stuck in maladaptive, non-growthful environments—‘a bad play’. It’s like playing the same part in the same play on the....

Family therapy is often a HUGE step for family's that find themselves reaching out for it. Kudos to you if you are making the choice to engage in the conflict and issues that are present in your family's life right now. It takes a lot of courage for everyone who is choosing to be involved. My approach to family therapy is working to make sure everyone has a voice in the room and that it feels safe for each member involved in the process. It also is to help each family member to identify their role in the family conflict and how they can help aid in making change for their family unit. It can be messy, but you often have to walk through the mess in order to find healing and a way forward.

Family counseling is the most powerful form of therapy I know. For years, individuals with social and relationship problems were pathologized and treated alone. With the advent of Family Therapy, individual problems were considered a manifestation of issues through the entire family system. I work with everybody involved with the “patient” in the same room at the same time. Parents and children, brother and sisters have their first chance in years to speak and be heard by others in the family. I maintain order and safety, and engage the family in a balanced and fair manner. The results are often amazing.

It has been said that members of a family are like the creatures on a child's mobile - when one moves, they all move. I help families understand their relationships with each other, and how each family member influences and impacts the entire family unit. I work with families to help them learn effective communication and problem solving, while respecting individual autonomy.

Family therapy can be a place where all members of a family are safe to discuss their concerns. It is also a place where you can hear each other in new and surprising ways. Being willing to hear, understand and respond to the surprising feelings behind the anger or withdrawal that blocks closeness in your family can set the stage for more cooperation, compromise and a new strategy for interacting without hurt. I will help you do the work of connecting emotionally and strategizing about new ways to cope with old problems. Call me for an appointment to discuss your family's particular difficulties. As a therapist, a wife, and a mother of teenagers, I bring professional and personal resources.

Families are fascinating paradoxes. The health of the family system is connected to the interactions among individual family members. I provide a safe place for family members to talk and listen to each other, to express feelings honestly without criticism. Families often come to therapy because of a crisis that has become too overwhelming. In family therapy, we will look at family dynamics, alliances, communication styles, goals and expectations, boundaries, trust issues, behaviors, ways of dealing with conflict. Our goal is to heal the family system.

During Family Therapy we deal with: patterns of communication (the way people in the family talk to each other); anger (how that sabotages the family); correcting dysfunctional patters, and negotiation (how to work out things so that everybody feels O.K. about the solutions). During family counseling families learn how to deal with crisis as well conflict management techniques. Also included are effective parenting skills for both children as well as teenagers. Therapy needs to have practical strategies and to be as short term as possible.

We believe in fostering stronger family bonds through compassionate and professional care. Our family therapy approach is designed to help families navigate complex emotions, improve communication, and resolve conflicts in a safe, supportive environment. We use evidence-based techniques to address various issues, from major life changes to mental health concerns. By working collaboratively with you, we aim to create positive changes that enhance your family's well-being and happiness. Start your journey towards a healthier family life with us today.

I have worked with families for over 25 years and find it one of the most exciting and effective forms of therapy. It requires special training and skills to sit with a group of people, many of whom are upset with each other, and help them find a way through the pain to healing for them all. I have trained with some of the founders of Family Therapy, and worked with at-risk children in their homes and my office. Nothing is more satisfying.

In family therapy, there are a lot of voices in the room. And in my practice in family therapy, I work to make sure each voice is heard and understood, while also facilitating and maintaining emotional and physical safety in the room. I believe that viewing and tackling the family conflict as a team is generally (with some exceptions) a helpful way in seeing progress. So I work with everyone to identify their role in the conflict and how they can help change their family dynamic.

Families have many challenges in these times. I have experience with issues ranging from divorce, to medical illnesses, to traumatic family experiences. I have years of experience as an adolescent therapist, on an inpatient and an outpatient level. I have specific experience with the family dynamics of aging and dementia. This can be a challenging issue, but with the right strategies you can succeed.

I love when children/teens and their parents all come in together. Some worry it will be awkward but I make a point to have it be relaxed and conversational. I help parents understand the social culture and stressors impacting their kids' lives, as well as help them express their concerns in ways that don't feel like lectures to their kids. In turn, I help kids to articulate their struggles in ways that their parents can appreciate and empathize with. Respect and responsibility is an important part of any work I do with families, and helping parents to balance their expressions of compassion with their need to hold their kids accountable is always part of the conversation.

One of the most common forms of Family Therapy is Structural Family Therapy. This modality focuses on examining how our family of origin, influences our relationships and engagement. This includes biological, adoptive and families of choice. The Eco-Systemic Structural Family Therapy approach also examines the larger ecosystem of a family, such as their community connection and support systems which can be used to help overcome challenges.