Family

Family is the first world in which we learn how to be with others. The patterns we carry from our family of origin — how we respond to conflict, where we draw boundaries, how close we let people in — resurface in adult life, even when we consciously want to leave them behind. Systemic therapy, or individual therapy focused on family dynamics, helps you recognize those patterns and separate them from what you actually want to build.

This is also the area to explore when your present-day family — a partnership, a household with children — is going through a difficult time. Sibling conflict, challenges with an adult child, tension with your own parents, a teenager who's struggling: each of these calls for a different approach. An initial conversation helps clarify what kind of support makes the most sense for your situation.