Family Therapy

Common Challenges Family Therapy Can Help You With

Family therapy can address a variety of issues, including:

• Dysfunctional communication patterns
• Frequent boundary violations
• Distorted perceptions of family roles
• Poor problem-solving during times of crisis
• Negative dynamics between specific family members
• Intergenerational patterns
• An overall unhealthy home environment

Family counseling can also help manage specific mental health or behavioral conditions affecting one family member, such as:

• Anxiety disorders
• Mood disorders (e.g., bipolar disorder, depression)
• Substance use disorders
• Personality disorders
• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

How Family Therapy Can Help You

Over time, family therapy can help you build stronger relationships and improve your interactions, leading to meaningful change in your close relationships. You may find that your home environment becomes more positive and that your family’s difficulties are effectively addressed and resolved.

Some potential benefits of family counseling include:

• Improving communication by expressing thoughts and needs more clearly
• Managing conflict in ways that preserve and strengthen relationships
• Supporting individual family members with mental health conditions by addressing contributing factors and increasing awareness of how to help

At Evolve Psychological Services, we’ll work alongside you to build the skills needed to prevent and navigate conflicts in the long run. In doing so, you’ll notice your connections growing stronger, your bonds deepening, and the overall quality of your relationships improving.

Our Approach to Family Therapy in Montclair, NJ

Our approach involves listening to every family member. We take into account each person’s perspective so we can incorporate their individual goals into a shared family process. In doing so, we shift the focus from a single issue affecting one person to the broader patterns and challenges impacting the entire family in different ways.

Depending on the family’s needs, we combine different therapeutic approaches, including:

Structural Family Therapy

This approach centers on family interactions, viewing the family as a connected system. Improving communication and promoting healthier ways of relating helps build a stronger, more supportive family dynamic.

Family Systems Therapy

Sometimes, problems can originate within the family unit. This approach emphasizes that when one person struggles, the whole family is affected. Through collaboration and understanding, family members learn how their behaviors and interactions shape the family’s overall well-being.

Attachment Theory

Attachment theory shows how early caregiver–child relationships shape the way we connect with others throughout life. In family therapy, this approach helps each member explore their attachment patterns and understand how these influence family dynamics, communication, emotional expression, and conflict.

Inter-Generational Transmission of Trauma Theory

This theory suggests that unresolved trauma from one generation can be passed down to the next, influencing patterns of behavior, emotional responses, and relationships within the family. Such patterns can impact parenting and parent–child bonds. In essence, this approach helps break the cycle of pain and foster healing and healthier connections.

Parent Coaching

Parent coaching is a strengths-based approach where you work directly with one of our therapists to improve communication and strengthen your relationship with your child. It helps you understand family dynamics and develop greater empathy for yourself and your child, fostering a more supportive connection.