Family Counseling

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Families seek counseling to resolve conflict and enrich their relationships with their children, spouse, siblings, and parents.  Family counseling allows for everyone to have a voice in the family, gain a better understanding of why they make the choices they do, and stop dysfunctional behavior patterns.  When families improve understanding through better communication and able to talk through problems, they feel better about each other and behaviors improve.

Dr. Susan draws from varying treatment approaches that are clinically proven to promote change.  She primarily applies Solution-Focused, Systemic, and Cognitive-Behavioral therapy models.  She views familial relationships through a systemic lens by examining the interactional patterns that families engage in that tend to perpetuate problematic issues. She guides each family member  to recognize the part they play in maintaining the problem, and helps them find alternative strategies for positive change.  She facilitates families to feel better about each other and live in harmony.

Dr. Susan provides a comforting, caring, and non-judgmental environment by assisting families through the following issues:

• Emotional and behavioral problems
• Communication
• Discipline problems
• Step-families
• Divorce
• Troubled teens
• Anger, anxiety and depression
• School problems
• Substance abuse
• Parenting

Your first session will be an evaluation, guiding you to clearly identify the best course of action for therapeutic healing.  The plan of action may include that each family member meet with Dr. Susan with others, and manage their emotions while weaving these sessions, intermittently, with family counseling.  In some cases, she may refer a teenager to a separate therapist, while she continues to see the family. Before terminating counseling sessions, families learn how to 'anchor' changes they have made to promote lasting positive change.