Connection is why we’re here; it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives.
—Brené Brown
Family Therapy
When working with teens, families, and parents, I will at times work with family members individually, in groups of two, or all together depending on what is needed to best address the concerns at hand. By approaching family therapy this way, I am able to build individual and collective relationships serving as both an advocate for each family member individually as well as helping the family unit come together to reach common goals. These goals typically involve getting along better, fighting less, decreasing destructive behaviors, and engaging in healthy behaviors.
Teen Therapy
Our three main psychological needs are autonomy, connection, and competence. When working with teens, I use this lens to help them understand their needs and find healthier ways to have these needs met. Developmentally, teens are constantly seeking to understand who they are now and who they want to become. During this stage, it is important for teens to have someone they trust to help them slow down, process their experiences, and navigate the struggles involved in transitioning from being an adolescent to becoming an adult.
Oftentimes hobbies become a first line of defense when we face difficult emotions, and I use these as a tool to assess and relate to my teen clients. Whether that involves learning about cars, fashion, or the latest digital media application, understanding what they enjoy and how they spend their time gives me a window to better understand their lives and connect with their lived experience. Working with teens typically involves working with their parents to create lasting change and more harmony in the home. Common goals for parent sessions include developing a more authoritative parenting style as this provides the most ideal balance of structure and independence.
Parenting Therapy
When working with a family system, a main focus is helping improve communication, set clear boundaries, and develop ways to enforce these boundaries consistently. Being assertive is something that we learn, and it can take time to understand and refine this skill. Family therapy involves teaching and encouraging members to convey their words with the intended meaning. The more effectively families communicate, the easier they are able to resolve concerns both inside and outside of therapy sessions.
Once the lines of communication are open, families can then address past hurts, develop clear expectations, and discover ways to move forward together. By involving family members in therapy, individuals are able to have more accountability and create change quicker than working with the individual alone. My training in structural family therapy also provides a framework for addressing unhealthy power differentials, flipping inverted hierarchy structures, and building upon existing strengths within the family.