Many people have close relationships with their parents — in fact, some consider their mother or father their best friend. But that isn’t always the case. There’s a less fortunate narrative: Some people hate their parents. They don’t just lack that connection or disagree with their parents from time to…
Anxiety is a natural part of life, but when anxiety goes beyond standard stress or fear, it can have a negative impact on life and relationships. Those with untreated anxiety might withdraw from or get irritable with their friends, and anxious parents might model fears and worries to their children. …
Q: Do you offer family therapy? My family has experienced domestic violence and would like a space to process abusive experiences. A: Hello there, First of all, I’m sorry for what you and your family have experienced. A history of domestic violence within a family can be challenging to repair,…
Everyone lies from time to time. Whether it’s to get out of work or spare someone’s feelings, lying every once in a while is normal and common. However, when someone lies frequently, they are known as a habitual liar. Lying often is harmful, and can even be a sign of…
Every person has challenges. As does every couple and every family. Together, that’s a lot of challenges! Which is why marriage and family therapy exists. Licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs) are mental health professionals who are trained in psychotherapy and family systems. They’re able to help people through the…
Your 12-year-old son keeps getting in trouble at school — for picking on his classmates, lying to his teacher, and even stealing other kids’ things. You think he’s just “acting out.” Until you find out he’s been sneaking out at night for the last 6 months. It becomes apparent that…
Stress is unavoidable. It’s a universal response to challenges that threaten our health and well-being — some of the most common stressors being job loss, divorce, and the loss of a loved one. When confronted with a stressful event, we might feel frustrated, worried, nervous, or angry; we might lose sleep…
Q: Is it possible to recover or fix relationships with my young children? I hear often that the first 5 years are critical to a child’s development. I fear that I have messed those years up with my children. I have struggled with anxiety and have often found myself snapping…
Every year there seems to be a new parenting style trending in popular culture: helicopter parenting, tiger parenting, lighthouse parenting. People write about free-range parenting, gentle parenting, and slow parenting as if children are food items that need to be carefully cultivated through a certain recipe. Child psychologists and mommy/daddy…
This is not a fun topic to write about. Parent-child breakups are painful for everyone involved: for the adult children who feel torn between filial duty and self-protection; for the toxic parents who can’t understand what they did wrong; and even for the children those parents once were, who were…
Family constellation therapy (FCT) is a way of helping individuals heal from family trauma and suffering that’s been passed down unconsciously through generations of their bloodline. Constellation work explores these intergenerational dynamics through body, mind, and spirit. The therapeutic approach is rooted in psychoanalytic thought as well as family systems…
Family bonds are rich, complex, profound – and sometimes painful. Family can both build us up and break us down. But in its ideal state, a family is the crucible in which we can become our best and truest selves. That’s where family therapy can help. Licensed family therapists at…
