Family Therapy in 15240
Brandon Graf
Licensed Professional Counselor, LPC
Verified Verified
Pittsburgh, PA 15240 (Online Only)
Setting solid boundaries with family members, significant others, coworkers and friends is a critical aspect of mental health. Communication goes hand in hand with the concept of boundaries. When our expectations are reasonable, we can be assertive in the way we communicate. We don’t need to take on guilt for having reasonable expectations, a pitfall that many of experience when we allow others to manipulate us. Being passive until things boil over and then feeling as though we need to apologize even though we weren’t wrong in the first place is another misguided strategy in our interpersonal relationships.
Setting solid boundaries with family members, significant others, coworkers and friends is a critical aspect of mental health. Communication goes hand in hand with the concept of boundaries. When our expectations are reasonable, we can be assertive in the way we communicate. We don’t need to take on guilt for having reasonable expectations, a pitfall that many of experience when we allow others to manipulate us. Being passive until things boil over and then feeling as though we need to apologize even though we weren’t wrong in the first place is another misguided strategy in our interpersonal relationships.
"The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction, not a destination." These are wise words from Carl Rogers, one of my biggest influences. My approach with clients comes from years of direct work with children, adolescents, families, and adults. Providing a safe and welcoming atmosphere is what I strive for as we create a therapeutic alliance and work through difficulties that you are facing. We will work together and address your concerns by focusing on your strengths and setting up goals that we will achieve with evidence-based practices.
"The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction, not a destination." These are wise words from Carl Rogers, one of my biggest influences. My approach with clients comes from years of direct work with children, adolescents, families, and adults. Providing a safe and welcoming atmosphere is what I strive for as we create a therapeutic alliance and work through difficulties that you are facing. We will work together and address your concerns by focusing on your strengths and setting up goals that we will achieve with evidence-based practices.
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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.