Family therapy services in 07021: Essex Fells, NJ. Relationship and couples counseling.

Originally trained as a family therapist at the Family Institute of Cambridge, Mass., I have evolved as an experienced family therapist. I believe that family therapy is generally the treatment of choice in resolving issues and preventing the problem from going to the next generation. It is useful to see an entire family but can also be beneficial if parts of a family will work together to overcome communication problems, resentments, and misunderstandings that can tear families apart. Family therapy is very helpful to resolving conflicts of adult children after a parent has died. It can also be useful with young children, siblings, as well as teenagers, middle-aged people and older adults.

Careers and children each place enormous stress on a couple’s ability to be together in an intimate and satisfying way. Every couple has different ways of dealing with the challenges, and counseling can provide the perspective and encouragement to re-create a shared vision for the future. For something as important as this, it is surprising how little training and preparation were given; family therapy fills in the blanks.

My approach to family therapy is to look for the source of the family conflict. After over 37 years of practice, I can usually zero in on what is going on. Sometimes one parent is out of control. Sometimes parents are in conflict over child-rearing practices; one is too permissive and one too strict. Sometimes one child is favored over another. I generally meet with the whole family over a period of time, encouraging honest and constructive communication. Through patient guidance, the problems surface and are worked out.

We are part of something larger than ourselves and that is why we tend to encounter difficulties in dealing with simple things in life such as learning how to live together, raising children or coping with adolescence. In Family Therapy, as opposed to Individual Therapy, we explore, understand and address issues family members present at their source. Emotional origins of personal conflicts get exposed throughout roles and dynamics; part of my work with families include to question and re-frame them to mobilize stagnation and create room for new experiences.

Effective parenting starts with healthy and respectful relationships. However, having just the right relationship in place is sometimes not enough for a happy home. If you find that your punitive measures are no longer cutting it, or you find your adolescent children becoming more and more disconnected from you, you have every right to be concerned. Many families need support in the form of an empathic and effective counselor to create healthier relationships at home. Unhealthy dynamics are usually created and exacerbated by everyone involved - not just one person. How can seeking family counseling help your family?

It wasn't always this way. There was a time you looked forward to being with each other. There was trust and you enjoyed each other's company. Now it feels like there is an invisible wall separating you. Hal's soothing wisdom offers you the opportunity to learn the vital building blocks leading to a trusting and loving relationship. Hal is an experienced and highly regarded couples counselor. He is also a published author and was invited to appear as a special guest on David Lettermans Late Night television program on 2 separate occasions. Hal's schedule is flexible and appointments are available days, evenings and Sundays. Since 1975.

Dr. Sara Mandelbaum and Dr. Joel Stukalin are expert consultants for short-term interventions with families, specifically related to child-rearing & blended family issues. They consult regularly with concerned parents and grandparents about family related issues that threaten the family health and integrity. Usually a few, comprehensive sessions with Dr. Joel or Dr. Sara lay the groundwork for a better understanding that leads to the resolution of family problems. Where necessary individulal counseling referrals can be made. Clients have stated that the focused, intelligent & solution-oriented approach from our sessions has often helped them derive necessary knowledge for family harmony

What makes working with you as a family different than you as an individual is your family has an identity as well. In fact, the health of your family has a great deal to do with how much you acknowledge the distinction between yourself as an individual and who you are a part of a family. In our work together, you and your partner will begin to differentiate yourselves as individuals from who you are in your family so that you can begin to nurture both.

We come from a systems approach when working with families. We teach family members how to communicate more effectively with one another. There is an emphasis on personal responsibility and each family member looking at how their behavior is contributing to the problems. Building empathy between family members is also a main focus for us when working with families. We strive for families to leave sessions feeling more connected and understood by each other with the tools to be more successful in their communications. We do family therapy both in the office and in homes.

Family problems affect everyone in the family-from the oldest down to the youngest family member. Working with as few as two family members, I can help you and your family resolve conflict, emotional cut-offs, and negative communication patterns. Long term unresolved issues often create present day conflict and misunderstandings that affect everyone in the family. Therapy can help uncover and resolve those issues as well as work through the current family issues.

Family therapy is often times a necessary extention to individual therapy. Families are supposed to work as a system. Sometimes the system breaks down and one member may be viewed as the broken piece. Until the system comes together to work through what is really happening the problem often persists. In therapy together we can look at your system as a whole. Let's open lines of communication between family members, improve your relationships and begin enjoying your lives together again.

Family issues can feel daunting. They can cause much inner stress, grief and even illness. Addressing tension in family relationships is key to living a happy, wholesome life. I see each individual as a sub-unit of family life. I have done great systems work in working with the entire family unit, in creating a space to discuss issues, allow anger, and at the same time, finding a space to develop creative solutions and better ways of working through conflict and pain. Together we create a space to process the strained dynamic and work on understanding, respecting and improving connection with one another, allowing space for harmony, compassion and love to be expressed.

Family dynamics can be challenging. Working through past family traumas, disagreements and misunderstandings can ease a lot of the pain that drives families apart. Lots of traumas are carried down through the generations and counseling can help relieve some of that heaviness so families can set healthy boundaries, thrive, grow and communicate better.

We have our closest, longest-lasting, and most complicated relationships with family. When there is divorce, remarriage, addiction, mental illness or other dysfunction it can become even more complicated. With my Family Systems perspective I can help you understand how your family helped to form the person that you are, and help you untangle yourself from the dysfunction and heal the relationships that are important to you.

My approach to engaging in family therapy is working through the lens of structural, strategic, and narrative therapy. This consists of creating a safe and welcoming space for all family members to be able to express their roles, concerns, and current issues within the family system. Each member of the family plays an important role in this type of therapy.

Family therapy is one way to start tp heal families that are struggling with their relationships with each other. Familial relationships can be extremely painful. In fact, they can be the most painful relationships we experience in our lives. This is because they run so deep. Family therapy can help facilitate better communication, understanding and compassion toward each other.

Family therapy focuses on relationshipswithin the family unit, and takes place with other family members present. My approach is to work individual first, and then bring in the family together so we can work-out what is working or what is not working. Individual counseling works because we can first see if there are any personal issues first, then bring it to family sessions.

It is always important to work with families when working with children. Through the use of family therapy, communication between family members is enhanced and conflicts are better resolved. Family therapy can be useful in any family situation that causes stress, grief, anger or conflict. It can help you and your family members understand one another better and bring you closer together.

Families often involve three or more individuals, each with their own emotions, understandings, relationships, and challenges. This can make the family dynamic complicated. Also, sometimes one or more family members have experienced personal circumstances that the whole family can have a hard time understanding. Family therapy can help improve family boundaries, clear up misunderstandings, and re-learn healthier communication methods to empower your family to move forward and meet future challenges more effectively.

As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist I work with many families in all stages of the life cycle, facing numerous and varied challenges. This is a complex area of therapy for which I have a real passion. Families today face particularly difficult situations and can often feel overcome their resources for dealing it all. Reaching out for help to a qualified therapist is wise and most often quite helpful.