Family Therapy
Family therapy creates a unique opportunity for families to begin to understand and reorganize past experiences to create new neural networks, co-regulation, and the overall strengthening of their relationship. Guardians will also learn the tools to support co-regulation and provide attunement at home.
We believe strongly in the power of connection and attachment. In fact, the development of the brain agrees! Strong, supportive, and nurturing attachments are essential to neurological development, resiliency, self-confidence, and future success. We often form our most significant attachments within the first three months of life. These relationships share who we are, how we think and feel about ourselves, how we relate to our world, and what we do. Because of this, the family is a powerful system that can get stuck in roles and patterns that are challenging to break.
What is family therapy?
When a child is struggling, it is important for the entire family to be seen, heard, understood, and supported for the child to heal and grow within the family system. Family therapy looks different for each family unit, depending on your family’s needs. Looking at family therapy through an attachment lens, we work to build and strengthen the attachments in the family unit. To best build these attachments, we use a family play therapy approach (or Filial play therapy).
How does it work?
Caregivers and child are involved in the therapeutic process. Using activities that are developmentally appropriate and grounded to foster healthy attachments, the entire family will work together to create a bond. It is through the powers of play that allows that child and their caregiver(s) to connect through the use of toys and materials. Your therapist will support the family to explore, communicate, and navigate through experiences to enable growth and healing.
Filial Therapy
The term filial therapy comes from the Latin words meaning “son” or “daughter” and essentially refers to the parent-child relationship. Over the past 40 years, there has been a great deal of research and clinical experience with Filial Therapy, with studies showing that it consistently helps reduce children’s problem behaviors, helps parents feel less stressed and more confident, and improves the understanding parents have for their children.
How do I know if counseling will work for my family?
Booking a free meet and greet is a great way to answer this. During these 30-minutes, you’ll have the opportunity to meet your potential therapist, see the office space, share some of your concerns, and see what might be helpful moving forward.