Family therapy
Families carry a great deal of love and, at times, a great deal of strain. Family therapy brings members of a family together, with someone neutral in the room, to understand what is happening between them and find better ways of living with one another.
You do not need everyone to attend for family therapy to help. Sometimes we begin with two or three people and others join later. What matters is that the people who come want things to improve.
What families bring
Families come to us with arguments that keep returning, a teenager and a parent who can no longer talk, tension between a couple and their in-laws, adult siblings at odds over caring for a parent, or a blended family still finding its shape. Others come after a big change, such as a move, a loss, an illness, a separation or a child leaving home.
Often each person in the family has a different view of the problem. That is normal, and it is a useful place to start.
How it works
In the first session we listen to each person in turn and make sure everyone has a chance to be heard, including the quieter members of the family. We do not take sides or look for someone to blame. Our interest is in the patterns between people: how they talk, what happens when someone is upset, and the unspoken rules every family lives by.
Over the following sessions we help the family try different ways of talking and listening, both in the room and at home. Sometimes we meet with part of the family on its own, for example the parents together, when that will help the wider work. We will always explain why.
Joint families and changing roles
Many of the families we see live with, or close to, more than one generation. That brings real support and also real friction, around privacy, decisions, money and how children are raised. We respect the value families place on staying close, and help each person find a voice within it.
In person or online
You can meet us at our studio in Nerul, Navi Mumbai, or join by private video. Online sessions make it possible to include family members who live in another city or another country, which is often the only practical way to get everyone in the same conversation.
Getting started
One person usually makes the first contact. Send us a message or call, tell us who is in the family and what is happening, and we will suggest who might join the first session.
Reviewed by Dr. Neha Achrekar
Ready to talk?
In person at our Nerul studio in Navi Mumbai, or online from anywhere.