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  • Parents & Families

    If you are a parent and need immediate support, call the Safe & Sound TALK Line at 415-441-KIDS (6437)

    Click each heading below to learn more

    Family Therapy

    “Family” isn’t just our relationships to the people we grew up with. The family is a system–and, like all systems, it sometimes encounters a glitch that throws the entire system into disorder.

    Your family may be experiencing:

    • Communication issues
    • Family conflicts
    • Changes within the family
    • Stressful events and major life transitions
    • Parenting issues
    • Problems between siblings
    • Divorce, separation, or marital problems
    • Child and adolescent behavioral concerns
    • Loss of a family member or loved one
    • Any other issue impacting the entire family

    These issues can take a toll on your family. But with the right support, you can address these major issues in a way that is beneficial for all involved. I can provide that support, by meeting with each member, performing an assessment, and making recommendations for additional services to help you not only resolve these issues, but create a stronger, more functional family system that benefits everyone.

    Recommended Reading

    Books

    Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself
    Nedra Glover Tawwab

    Drama Free: A Guide to Managing Unhealthy Family Relationships
    Nedra Glover Tawwab

    Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting, or Self-Involved Parents
    Lindsay C. Gibson

    Parenting Support

    It’s true when they say “it takes a village,” and I can give you the support you need to raise a happy and healthy child. Available to one or multiple parents or primary guardians of children of any age, my Parent Support uses a variety of psychologically-based strategies, including the PCIT method, to help determine and address your child’s needs, and gives you the skills and support to navigate parenthood with your child’s fulfillment and development as the top priority.

    Additional Resources

    PCIT International

    Recommended Reading

    Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
    Psychology Today

    The No. 1 soft skill that predicts kids’ success more than IQ—and how to teach it
    Michele Borba, CNBC.com

    How to Handle Your Child’s Lying at Every Age
    Health Essentials, Cleveland Clinic

    5 Tips for Parenting a Strong-Willed Child
    Mia Taylor, Parents

    Therapy for Blended Families

    Building a blended family—that is, when people who each have children from previous relationships build a new relationship and family together—in a way that honors the needs of all involved is a unique challenge. As was the case in my own blended family, the parents may come from different cultural backgrounds, have different parenting styles, and hold different beliefs and behaviors. The children in the family will have their own hopes and fears for the new family, and may struggle to adapt to changing dynamics and new family relationships as well.

    Not only do blended families have to navigate these complex dynamics—they have to balance that work with their usual responsibilities within and outside the family. At times, it can feel like an impossible task. But building a cohesive and harmonic blended family is not only possible -it’s necessary for the health of the family and children. With the right support, you can create that for your family.

    Through my Therapy for Blended Families, I can guide you and your family through this challenging work so you can face the confusion, miscommunication, and conflict that’s often involved in the blending process, in a way that creates a better environment for all involved. From working through struggles early, to resolving personal conflicts, to helping build relationships and systems for the long-term benefit of your family, I am here for you every step of the way.

    Transracial Families

    Parenting a child with a racial or cultural background different from your own–transracial, also known as interracial, parenting–presents unique challenges. My own family is transracial, so I have first-hand experience navigating these cultural complexities, as well as years of intersectional feminist study to guide my Transracial Family Therapy. I can help you navigate the complex cultural and social issues that impact your child, centering the child’s needs, and framing the child’s cultural and racialized experience from a justice-oriented perspective. For those in interracial relationships without children, I also offer therapy for transracial relationships.

    Support for Parents of LGBTQIA+ Children

    Even the most accepting parents can face unique obstacles when trying to provide competent care for a child who identifies as LGBTQIA+, or is questioning their gender identity or sexuality. I’m available to provide non-judgemental support to help you navigate your own emotional experience, explore necessary questions and ultimately create a supportive environment that allows your child to flourish in their true identity.

    Additional Resources

    Gender Spectrum’s National Parent Support Group

    PFLAG

    Recommended Reading

    Get the Facts About Trans Youth (Infographic, PDF download)
    Movement Advancement Project

    Family Acceptance Saves Lives
    Human Rights Campaign

    Families Matter
    The Family Acceptance Project

    Strategies for Supporting a Transgender Child
    Psychology Today

    Affirming vs. Non-affirming Parenting Behaviors
    Gender Spectrum

    Parents and Family
    Gender Spectrum

    Tips for Parents of LGBTQ Youth
    Johns Hopkins Medicine

    Transgender Children & Youth: Understanding the Basics
    Human Rights Campaign

    Parenting a Gender-Diverse Child: Hard Questions Answered
    Healthy Children

    Why Accepting your LGBTQ Child Matters—And How to Start
    Option B

    10 Things Parents of Trans Kids Want to Know
    Psychology Today

    Supporting & Caring for Transgender Children
    Human Rights Campaign

    Just as They Are
    Human Rights Campaign

    Books

    The Transgender Child: A Handbook for Families and Professionals
    Stephanie Brill and Rachel Pepper

    Transgender Teen: A Handbook for Parents and Professionals Supporting Transgender and Non-Binary Teens
    Stephanie Brill and Rachel Pepper