Family Counseling Services in Springfield, VA.

The focus of my family therapy work is the family as a whole. Working on the relationship between family members is more effective than just treating the person that is supposed to be in need of treatment. From my perspective, family therapy work sees individuals in relationships to others. As a result, the attention shifts from the symptomatic individual and problem is seen as the family as a whole. The goal of my family therapy work is to help establish a “functional family” – one in which needs and the desired goals of closeness, identity, self-expression, and meaning are met.

Whether it is mother/daughter conflict, father/son, struggles, or the whole family, the dynamics are often wrought with underlying emotions that need to be addressed. Rather than therapy for the child alone, often having the entire family meet takes the role of "identified patient" off anyone, and emotional knots can begin to loosen and be untied. I use role play, in addition to talk therapy, to engender greater empathy. When there are unhealthy "triangles," new structures are put in place so that clear communication can flow between members.

Family therapy is indicated especially if the couple also is looking for help out of an emotionally difficult place. Family stresses can also provide stresses on each member of the couple. Through therapy, we work together to find the causes of the family stress, and then create strategies for managing the negative emotions and creating positive ones. Then we practice the strategies so that when similar stresses arise, each family member knows how to work within their family dynamic, keeping things calm.

Parents and teenagers must navigate a difficult process as the teenager begins to separate from the parents and form his or her separate identity. I work with both parents and teenagers to help in this process in terms of developing strategies for communication, conflict resolution and ways to begin connecting more effectively. I help both the teenager and the parent find ways to better understand and to develop greater tolerance for one another. More than any other developmental stage, the teenage years necessitate that parents alter their typical ways of parenting, become more flexible, more patient, more emotionally attentive.

Christian counseling can benefit marriages, individuals struggling with personal issues, and families experiencing difficulties. Christian counseling is for those who want to honor God in their personal life, marriage, and family by aligning with God's truths and becoming fully reliant on God. God is our ultimate healer, and Christian counseling is one avenue that God has provided to those who need healing and life change.

Ashburn Psychological Services therapists and counselors offer a variety approaches to family therapy including: family systems therapy, interpersonal therapy, psychodynamic therapy, relationship education, etc. Often families come to therapy with an identified problem for one or more family member. Typical problems include divorce, remarriage, step parenting and blended family struggles, alcoholism/substance use, death or a medical illness or condition. At other times, the presenting problem has more to do with personality or communication issues for certain family members that can be addressed and worked on in treatment over time. We at Ashburn Psychological Services are here to help.

Sometimes family members find it very difficult to communicate with each other. Adolescents may offer challenges that the family finds overwhelming. Parents may be sandwiched between grandparents and their children. One member of the family may have a mental illness that causes a lot of stress. There are many reasons why a family requests family therapy. This therapy may be short term. It can include all members of the family or some members of the family. I help the family develop skills they can use to improve relationships and move through stressful times.

Have any of your family members recently graduated from high school or college? I provide career counseling and coaching to young adults that may need guidance to get them on the right career path. Or they may feel stuck and as a parent we don't always know how to help them. Feel free to reach out and contact me to learn more. I always provide a free phone consult.

Robyn began her career working with at-risk youth. She has worked extensively with older children and adolescents. Her approach goes beyond behavioral interventions and resolving negative school performance. Robyn believes the key to successful adolescent therapy is tapping into the strengths of the family system and helping the youth and each family member to grow and thrive as individuals and as a cohesive unit. Robyn's approach to adolescent therapy unites and coheres the family.

I would say that about 25% of my coaching is in the family scope. This area sometimes takes the most time. It has so many fascist. I ask each party for the one "big" problem and we start at that point. Resolving one step at a time. In any area of the home, there is commonly layers of bad thinking that brings things people to the edge. In the past I did testing, but I have found by the 38 years of history that you and I must get in the middle of the "stuff". Testing can really be a cop-out for the lack of experience in a field.

Most family therapists inadvertently create more chaos through their well-intentioned efforts to assist a family move through a change process. Why? Brains are inherently deregulated (all of us, may I add) and most talking and dialoguing misses brain-centric problems that need more intensive help. Many times the emotional trauma created by years of solving problems ineffectively can wreak havoc on the brain's parasympathetic nervous system, not ever giving the family a break from flight or fight thinking. Contact us for an innovative neuroscience solution to family dysfunction. Kevin@kevinflemingphd.com or 877-606-6161.

Family therapy can bring momentous relief to the daily battles that leave parents and children worn down and over-reactive. Finding the right family therapist makes all the difference and it is important to find someone with experience. Our family therapists are glad to offer a free consultation to you to speak about your concerns. Your experience with a family counselor will be a tremendous benefit.

Every individual is impacted by their family of origin in some way or another. Whenever appropriate, we believe it is important to integrate family therapy in our services to best help our clients understand patterns, resolve conflict, and communicate more effectively . Incorporating family members, such as parents, spouses, or children is essential for a client to maintain progress within their family environment.