emotional wounds

power struggles

separation anxiety

trouble focusing

sibling rivalry

disruptive behavior

defiance & disrespect

Family dynamics can be challenging, especially when communication breaks down or conflicts arise. Family therapy provides tools to manage communication struggles, sibling rivalry, parenting differences, and life transitions. Whether addressing a specific challenge or working toward overall cohesion, sessions create a supportive space for both immediate and extended families to rebuild trust and connection.

Counseling can also help families see how they work together as a unit and how each person’s actions and emotions affect the whole. Rather than placing blame on any particular person or issue, we work on how to grow and make the family stronger. Sessions are designed to feel safe and supportive, where everyone feels heard and valued. Families leave with insights and skills to communicate better and create a healthier, more connected dynamic.

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Explore Our Specializations

Family
Therapy

in Pleasant Hill and Alamo, CA

emotional reactivity

hostility & sarcasm

blame shifting

pressure & control

manipulation

guilt & shaming

defensiveness

Family dynamics can be challenging, particulary amidst aggressive personalities or communication that is hostile, defensive, demanding, or judgmental. Family therapy provides tools to manage struggles, sibling rivalry, parenting styles, and expectations. Whether addressing a specific challenge or working toward overall cohesion, sessions create a supportive space for both immediate and extended families to rebuild trust and connection.

Family therapy also addresses unhealthy dynamics like aggressive communication overpowering quieter voices, judgment creating distance, or family members imposing their expectations on others. Many families struggle with manipulation, guilt, or power imbalances, where certain voices dominate while others feel silenced. Sibling or parental competition can create tension instead of support, while unspoken expectations lead to resentment. Therapy helps untangle these patterns, foster direct and respectful communication, and create a balanced family dynamic where everyone feels heard and valued.

Counseling can also help families see how they work together as a unit and how each person’s actions and emotions affect the whole. Rather than placing blame on any particular person or issue, we work on how to grow and make the family stronger. Sessions are designed to feel safe and supportive, where everyone feels heard and valued. For example, a family struggling with constant arguments will learn new conflict resolution tools and skills, or parents might discover new ways to respond to a child’s ADHD without frustration. Families leave with insights and skills to communicate better and create a healthier, more connected dynamic.

Adjusting to structural changes like blending families or adoption
Parenting challenges, setting boundaries, managing behavior
Supporting a family member through mood or anxiety disorders
Coping with grief, loss, or major life transitions as a family
Finding new ways to co-parent or handle the impact of divorce
Addressing trauma or addiction while fostering resilience together
Breaking unhealthy communication habits
Resolving misunderstandings or conflicts in extended families
Exploring and healing long-standing patterns of family dysfunction

What We Work On:

Murray Bowen

people in a family must learn to act with their own

individuality and not get trapped in emotional reactivity

In-Network With:

Our Preferred Evidence-Based Treatments

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an empirically supported treatment that helps change distressing thought patterns that contribute to anxiety and depression. Through CBT, you'll learn to identify and challenge negative thoughts, reframe irrational beliefs, and replace them with healthier, more realistic perspectives. CBT also focuses on breaking patterns of self-doubt and worry by learning how to re-evaluate situations and adopt more constructive thinking. These tools empower you to make lasting changes in how you think and respond.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) combines cognitive-behavioral techniques with mindfulness principles to help individuals manage emotions, navigate challenges, and improve relationships. It focuses on four key areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. By building these skills, DBT empowers individuals to replace destructive patterns with practical, lasting strategies that promote resilience, balance, and a greater sense of control in daily life.
TF-CBT helps by combining practical coping skills with gradual exposure to difficult memories. It starts by teaching relaxation techniques, emotional regulation, and ways to challenge unhelpful thoughts. Once a strong foundation is built, individuals slowly and safely process their trauma with the support of a therapist. This approach reduces fear and distress, strengthens personal resilience, and fosters healthier ways of thinking and relating to others.
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a short-term, goal-oriented approach that emphasizes finding practical solutions. It focuses on what you want to achieve, guiding you to take clear steps toward your goals. By building on your strengths, SFBT encourages you to do more of what works and change what doesn't. This effective, time-efficient approach ensures rapid progress while fostering long-term results.
Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a proven, client-centered approach designed to help individuals overcome ambivalence and create lasting change. It focuses on exploring personal motivations and values, guiding clients to take actionable steps toward their goals. MI is highly effective in treating issues like addiction, unhealthy behaviors, and low motivation by strengthening confidence and commitment, empowering clients to drive their own positive transformations.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a proven approach that that helps couples break negative cycles and strengthen emotional bonds. In therapy, partners identify patterns of conflict and learn techniques like emotional validation and replacing reactive behaviors with empathetic responses. EFT targets underlying emotional triggers, promoting healthier attachment while deepening intimacy. It’s particularly effective for couples facing disconnection, insecurity, and trust issues, leading to genuine understanding and lasting change. This therapy is effective for emotional withdrawal, fear of abandonment, and attachment wounds, creating stronger, more secure relationships.