Family Counseling Services in Lake Morton Berrydale, WA.

I am the director of Meridian Counseling Services in Kent where I have a Licensed Marriage and Family therapist on staff. He uses a systems therapy approach to working with families. He specializes in couples, older children, adolescents/teenagers, parenting concerns, and step-family dynamics. Please visit our website to find out more: www.meridiancounselingservices.com.

Families operate as a system, where what each person does affects the others and the family dynamics as a whole. My goal in Family Therapy is to help each person within the family to have a voice and to know their value and also reflect on how they impact the family as a whole. We often take certain roles in our family and operate under these roles out of habit. It is important to examine what role we have taken up and whether that fits with who we are and who we want to be. There is room for everyone to have autonomy in a family and still be a part of the system.

Working with the whole family is a very powerful and effective therapy method. When family dynamics feel tense and tangled caused by events such as a child running away from home, addition of a new family member, issues between parents, teenager growing pains, etc, my therapy can find practical and health skills to reestablish these relationships. Together we will work through communication issues, the needs and the unspoken expectations of family members. A strong and healthy family system can be facilitated through a trustful therapeutic relationship we build together.

Conflicts between family members can be complex and emotionally charged. Professional treatment could be highly beneficial if recent life changes, parenting challenges, emotional disorders, or behavior problems are straining relationships within your family. Our therapists will work with families to find understanding and equilibrium. Whether your family has experienced divorce, is in the process of blending, or anything in between, we welcome all types of families.

Often there are times when our very family seems to be falling apart. It can feel hopeless and it can be easy to pin the blame on one or two people in a family. In my work with families, I seek to explore each members' unique voice and contribution to the struggles that our occurring. I find that when this is engaged and in an honest and open way, the issues are able to be addressed and worked through for the benefit of all. However, it often requires a therapist who can see from another perspective to help a family move together in a different direction together.

-decrease fighting, bickering and tension in daily life -dismantle unhealthy family dynamics -foster respect for differences -encourage honest and direct communication -enhance openhearted and honest relationships -fortify the husband/wife partnership -support development of healthy children -increase happiness and peace of mind -located in Bellevue/Kirkland Vicinity

Many times, couples come in to see me for their interpersonal relationships, starting with the two of them. If they have children, they are often concerned about the effect their problems are having on the kids, and would like to see them receive help from the counselor as well. As a Marriage & Family Therapist, I am equipped to have the children join our sessions. Call me at 425 652-1413 if you would like your children included in the therapeutic process.

Relationships are some of the most shaping aspects of a person's world. Family therapy considers improving people's relationships as the most way to improve their lives. Whether it is better communication with a partner, warmer interactions between a parent and child, confronting a caretaker about abuse or neglect, or finding forgiveness for hurting someone you love, family therapy uses a system's approach to shape your relationships into what you want them to be.

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.

We often have families with unique needs and wants that take a slightly different approach. Family dynamics have many moving parts and sometimes meeting with 1, 2, or all family members is required to understand the challenges. A systems approach is pulling together the many parts, assessing and evaluating, and moving forward with a plan for individuals and the system itself. Blended family dynamics, divorce, abuse, and various other family challenges are common.

Finding a therapist that you trust that also practices family therapy is difficult in today's therapy landscape. Although many therapists and coaches work with individuals and couples, few have the specialized training to also facilitate effective family therapy. I am trained and licensed with specialized training in family dynamics and family therapy. Once we have your family together, we will work to understand the dynamics and the emotions that drive them. As your therapist and guide, I will facilitate new solutions to conflicts and/or direct the family through complex changes, grief, or other emotional challenges and help you find your stability again.

I help couples to come to a consensus, to get on the same page, when it comes to raising children, to truly present themselves as a parenting unit, and thus have a more peaceful and rewarding family life. Our children have enough friends in their lives, what they truly need from us is to loving confident, and united parents. I can help you to achieve that.

Family therapy looks at the entire family system—parents, children, extended family members—to identify strengths and problematic behaviours. I collaborate with families on strategies for utilizing their own capabilities for resolving problems, and on developing effective communication and problem-solving skills for preventing conflicts. I specialize in working with families of teenagers, which is an age that can be challenging for both the teenagers and their parents.

I help families find ways to encourage one another while working toward shared goals. Between first hand experience in residential care and as a family therapist, I have nearly 30 years of experience working with exceptionally challenging children. I teach strategies that minimize conflict through patience, respect, and understanding. Families experience a dramatic drop in conflict begin to look forward to their time together.