The duration of child and family counseling varies depending on the complexity of the issues and the goals you and your family wish to achieve. Some families may benefit from short-term therapy focused on addressing specific concerns, while others may engage in longer-term counseling for ongoing support and family growth.

Sessions are typically scheduled on a weekly basis, although frequency may vary based on your family's needs and availability.

Yes, child and family counseling is confidential, meaning that what you discuss with your therapist remains private within the bounds of the law. However, there are exceptions to confidentiality, such as instances where there is a risk of harm to the child or others. It's important to discuss confidentiality with your therapist and address any concerns you may have.

While the involvement of both parents is beneficial, it's not always necessary for both parents to participate in every session. Your therapist will work with you to determine the most appropriate level of involvement for each parent based on your family's needs and circumstances.

Various family members can participate in child/family counseling sessions based on the specific needs and dynamics of your family. This may include parents, siblings, grandparents, or other significant caregivers. The decision regarding who participates in sessions will be made collaboratively between you, your family, and your therapist, with the goal of addressing your family's unique concerns and fostering positive outcomes.

Child and family counseling can benefit any family seeking to improve communication, resolve conflicts, and strengthen family relationships. If your family is experiencing challenges that are impacting your child's well-being or family dynamics, child and family counseling may be a valuable resource for you.

If you’re concerned about a child and believe they would benefit from counseling, the first step is to determine whether you have the legal authority to initiate services on their behalf. For minors, therapy must be consented to by a parent or legal guardian — someone with the legal right to authorize treatment. We’re unable to schedule sessions for a child unless the request comes from someone with that authority, even if the person is a close family member.

Please note that while we can’t initiate contact or schedule on someone’s behalf, we’re happy to answer any questions they may have when they're ready. If you are a parent or guardian, you’re welcome to contact us to begin the intake process. Our administrative team can help guide you through next steps and recommend appropriate services based on your goals.

We understand how important it is to feel comfortable and connected with your therapist. While some solo practitioners offer brief consultation calls, our clinic operates as a group practice and follows specific guidelines to protect your privacy and ensure high-quality care. Because of this, we don’t provide informal consultation visits before beginning therapy.

To best support you, we begin with a formal intake process. This allows our therapists to gather important background information in order to offer individualized care and thoughtful recommendations based on a comprehensive understanding of your needs. The intake session is also a time when you’re welcome to ask the therapist questions and get a sense of their personality and counseling style.

If you have questions about a therapist’s approach or the therapy process, our administrative team is happy to provide more information to help you make an informed decision. Our team is also experienced in helping clients clarify their needs and matching them with the therapist who is likely to be the best fit.

No. Child and family counseling is different from specialized services such as reunification counseling or court-directed co-parenting counseling. Our clinicians do not provide these services or make recommendations to the court regarding custody, visitation, placement, or parental fitness.

Child and family counseling uses a systemic approach, recognizing that children are deeply influenced by their relationships, family environment, and support systems, and need those supports to apply concepts from therapy to their daily life. While a child may be the primary focus of treatment, children often make the greatest progress when parents, caregivers, and other important family members are involved in the counseling process. This may include parent sessions, family sessions, and support in improving communication, understanding each other’s perspectives, strengthening relationships, and creating healthier patterns within the family system.

The goal of child and family counseling is to support emotional growth, improve relationships, and help families navigate challenges together. It is not intended to provide court-ordered reunification services, custody-related evaluations, or interventions designed to address legal disputes between caregivers. Those services are best addressed by clinicians who have specialized training in those areas. Our clinicians do not.

We know it can be difficult when one or more family members are hesitant about counseling. While we can provide support to individuals or smaller parts of a family system, full family counseling requires the voluntary participation and consent of everyone involved. We are unable to begin family therapy unless all participating members are willing to engage in the process.

If others in your family are unsure, we encourage you to share information about our services or have them reach out with any questions — we’re happy to provide general information that may help them feel more comfortable.

In the meantime, you are welcome to begin individual therapy or work with a therapist individually. Often, individual or partial-family work can be a helpful first step, and full family sessions can be added later if and when everyone is ready to participate.