Photo of Ivana Ross, Marriage & Family Therapist in 10010, NY
Ivana Ross
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA
Verified Verified
New York, NY 10010
I believe that positive reinforcement and approach in life can help people with individual and interpersonal challenges. I specialize in Marriage and Family therapy, couples counseling, anxiety, depression and anger management. I am a clinical fellow of The American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, where I expand my professional expertise (in addition to my clinical work) to optimize therapeutic services provided to my patients.
I believe that positive reinforcement and approach in life can help people with individual and interpersonal challenges. I specialize in Marriage and Family therapy, couples counseling, anxiety, depression and anger management. I am a clinical fellow of The American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, where I expand my professional expertise (in addition to my clinical work) to optimize therapeutic services provided to my patients.
(646) 941-7906 View (646) 941-7906
Photo of Ljiljana Zecevic, Psychologist in 10010, NY
Ljiljana Zecevic
Psychologist, MSEd, PhD
Verified Verified
New York, NY 10010
As a psychologist, I help people address their struggles and reach their potential. I pay careful attention to the establishment of a safe, trusting environment where people feel heard, seen, and supported. I have come to recognize the issues that come along with our attempts to cope with challenges that life presents. We often use strategies that might have been useful in the past and are less helpful now. These patterns--many of which are not in our immediate awareness--are multilayered and as such, present as portals for us to access the enormous field of potential for lasting change which we aim to access collaborativelly.
As a psychologist, I help people address their struggles and reach their potential. I pay careful attention to the establishment of a safe, trusting environment where people feel heard, seen, and supported. I have come to recognize the issues that come along with our attempts to cope with challenges that life presents. We often use strategies that might have been useful in the past and are less helpful now. These patterns--many of which are not in our immediate awareness--are multilayered and as such, present as portals for us to access the enormous field of potential for lasting change which we aim to access collaborativelly.
(917) 970-2361 View (917) 970-2361
Family Therapy

What do family therapists do?

A family therapist facilitates the process of understanding and improving how a family functions. The therapist will help family members develop empathy for one another. They’ll seek to understand existing patterns, misunderstandings, and conflicts that arise, in order to help the family arrive at a realistic, unified understanding and develop the coping skills they need to build stronger relationships.

How long does therapy for families take to work?

Therapy manifests differently in every family; a common time frame is 12 weekly sessions, but some families may see improvement after just a few weeks. Families should discuss their goals with the therapist at the beginning of the process and periodically revisit those goals to assess their progress together.

How can you encourage a family member to attend family therapy?

You can encourage family members to attend therapy by expressing with both love and concern the challenges you see and explaining how a therapist could help the family navigate those challenges together. An outside perspective can help everyone feel heard, get on the same page, and develop new skills. If family members are still hesitant, it may be helpful to emphasize that family therapy is short-term—it won’t last forever.

Is therapy for families effective?

Family therapy can significantly improve family dynamics and relationships. Research suggests that family therapy can help individuals understand their role in the family, communicate and solve problems together, reduce conflict and draw boundaries when necessary, and develop coping skills for stressors, major life changes, and mental or physical illnesses within the family.