Family therapy
In our individualistic culture, we tend to see therapy as something we do only as individuals, or occasionally as couples at times of crisis. This is a great shame, as huge benefit can come of exploring our challenges with family members. In my work at a family therapy clinic in Barcelona, I studied the Italian school of systemic therapy, from which perspective both the family we are born into and the family we raise profoundly affect our ways of being in the world and our mental health.
Family therapy offers a mediated space to confront conflict and struggles that may be overwhelming certain family members, including questions of identity, eating disorders, neurodiversity, relationships, crucial life transitions, and addiction. Family therapy includes sessions with all members present, and separate sessions with individual family members. I will encourage you to approach each other with deeper empathy, and articulate and explore habits and dynamics that may be contributing to distress.
I work with parents of neurodivergent kids, and multi-cultural families, and appreciate the particular struggles faced by third culture kids.
Family therapy with adolescents is particularly beneficial, because adolescent distress is deeply connected to the family ecosystem. Family therapy can provide a safe space where the adolescent learns to put words to their emotions, so they can express whatever they are going through without judgment. It is also a space of psycho-education, where they learn to understand their struggles from the perspective of psychological theory and recent research into neuropsychological development, trauma, and social change.
I have experience of working with adolescents and their families around issues of low self-esteem, anxiety, gender identity, depression, parental separation, moving country/schools, eating disorders, suicidal ideation, self-harm, coercive relationships, and bullying.
Please get in touch if you think we might be a good fit. Therapy is online, using Zoom. Unfortunately, I have limited availability, but strive to answer all queries within 24 hours.