Family Therapy

Family conflicts affect every aspect of life, leading to difficulties in maintaining healthy relationships, emotional well-being, and overall family harmony. Maggie Vaughan, MFT, PhD, and the team of certified marriage and family therapists understand the complexities of family dynamics and offer personalized family therapy at Happy Apple in Columbus Circle, Manhattan, which serves Midtown, Central Park South, the Upper West Side, and the Upper East Side of New York City. Call or schedule an appointment online today to book a session.

What is family therapy?

Family therapy explores the dynamics within your family unit to mend and strengthen the bonds that make you unique. At Happy Apple, the experienced team understands the intricate web of relationships that shape your family’s story. 

Family relationships are complicated, and a one-size-fits-all approach isn’t sufficient to address breakdowns in communication, unresolved conflicts, and other issues that commonly cause strife at home. Happy Apple specializes in multiple versatile therapeutic approaches to help families manage their challenges and guide them toward more harmonious relationships.

What issues can family therapy address?

The Happy Apple team uses family therapy to address a wide range of issues and conflicts at home, such as:

• Communication breakdowns
• Domestic conflicts
• Parent-child relationships
• Blended family challenges
• Behavioral issues
• Major life transitions
• Marital or couple conflicts
• Grief and loss
• Parenting and co-parenting challenges
• LGBTQ+ family support and acceptance
• Cultural or identity conflicts within multicultural families
• Financial stress and disputes
• Sibling rivalry and conflicts
• Chronic illness or disability within the family

Happy Apple offers a safe, neutral space where open dialogue and healing can take place.

What are the goals of family therapy?

Family therapy aims to improve specific needs and dynamics within your family. The benefits of family therapy include the following.

Improved communication

Family therapy helps family members communicate better with each other so that they can express their thoughts and feelings more openly and respectfully.

Conflict Resolution

Developing better conflict resolution strategies helps families find healthier ways to address disagreements and disputes.

Strengthening relationships

Building or rebuilding positive relationships among family members fosters trust, intimacy, and mutual understanding.

Boundary setting

Establishing clear and appropriate boundaries within the family helps respect individual autonomy while maintaining a sense of togetherness and support.

Identifying and changing dysfunctional patterns

Family therapy can help you address and change dysfunctional behavior patterns, such as enabling, codependency, or power struggles.

Problem-solving

The goal is to equip family members with tools to handle challenges more effectively and collaboratively.

Which techniques might family therapy include?

With a trauma-oriented, culturally sensitive approach, Happy Apple specializes in multiple family therapy techniques, including:

• Structural (realign family dynamics)
• Strategic (includes specific directives or assignments)
• Narrative (focuses on family strengths and resilience)
• Family systems (views the family as interconnected individuals)
• Communication skills training (teaches effective communication skills)

Happy Apple partners with your family to help you rebuild and strengthen your foundation. Call or schedule an appointment online today to book a family therapy session.