When one person in the family is struggling, everyone feels it.
Maybe your child's behavior has become the center of every conversation — and your other kids are getting lost in the shuffle. Maybe you and your partner can't agree on how to handle things, and every discussion about the kids turns into an argument. Maybe mealtimes, bedtimes, and car rides have become minefields.
Family therapy isn't about blaming anyone. It's about understanding how each person in the family is affected, and building new patterns that work for everyone — not just the person who's struggling the most.
When Family Therapy Helps
Families come to us when:
- One child's needs are dominating the household — Siblings feel invisible. Parents are exhausted. Everyone is walking on eggshells. (Read our blog: What happens when one child's needs impact everyone)
- Communication has broken down — No one feels heard. Conversations escalate quickly. There's more yelling than talking.
- Parents aren't on the same page — Different parenting styles are creating inconsistency and conflict between partners.
- A major transition is destabilizing the family — Divorce, remarriage, blended family, new baby, relocation, loss, or a child's diagnosis has shifted the family's foundation.
- Sibling conflict is constant and intense — It's gone beyond normal sibling rivalry into something that's affecting everyone's wellbeing.
- The family feels disconnected — You're all under the same roof but feel like strangers. (Read: How to reconnect after a stressful week)
Our Approach to Family Therapy
We don't use a one-size-fits-all model. Our family therapy draws from multiple evidence-based approaches, matched to what your family actually needs:
- Structural Family Therapy — Understanding and reshaping the patterns, roles, and boundaries within your family
- Emotion-Focused Family Therapy — Helping family members express needs and emotions in ways that bring connection instead of conflict
- Collaborative and Proactive Solutions (CPS) — Working together to solve problems rather than imposing top-down consequences
- Attachment-Based Approaches — Strengthening the bonds between parents and children, especially when trust has been strained
Our therapists are trained in multiple evidence-based modalities and adapt the approach session by session based on what's working.
What Family Therapy Sessions Look Like
Family therapy isn't always the whole family in a room together. Depending on your situation, sessions might include:
- Full family sessions — Everyone together, working on communication and dynamics
- Parent-only sessions — Developing a unified parenting approach (see also parent coaching)
- Parent-child dyads — Focused work on a specific parent-child relationship
- Sibling sessions — Helping brothers and sisters rebuild their relationship
- Individual check-ins — Giving each family member a space to be heard independently
Family Therapy for Specific Situations
Blended Families
Bringing two families together creates unique challenges around loyalty, boundaries, and roles. We help blended families build trust and create new traditions without erasing the old ones.
Co-Parenting After Separation
When parents live apart, consistent communication and shared expectations become critical for children's stability. Our co-parenting support helps you put your children first, even when the adult relationship is complicated.
Families with Neurodivergent Children
When a child has ADHD, autism, or sensory processing differences, the whole family system needs to adapt. We help families understand neurodivergence and build an environment where everyone thrives.
Families in Crisis
If your family is dealing with a traumatic event, sudden behavioral escalation, or an acute mental health concern, we prioritize getting you seen quickly. Our team includes specialists in trauma-informed care and child trauma therapy.
Related Services
- Parent Coaching — Build your skills as a parent with expert one-on-one guidance
- Child Therapy — Individual support for children facing emotional or behavioral challenges
- Neurodivergent Therapy — Neurodiversity-affirming care for ADHD, autism, and more
- Individual Therapy — Personal therapy for adults, adolescents, and children
- Co-Parenting Coaching — Navigate co-parenting dynamics with professional support
- Trauma-Informed Care — Process past experiences and build resilience
Meet Our Clinical Leaders
Everyday Parenting Psychology was founded in 2018 by two passionate and highly trained psychologists, Dr. Layne Raskin & Dr. Jeanette Sawyer Cohen.
- ✔Serving New York families since 2018 with specialized expertise in child development and family mental health
- ✔Team of over 12 experienced, licensed clinicians specializing in child therapy, family therapy, and parent support
- ✔Co-founded by Dr. Layne Raskin and Dr. Jeanette Sawyer Cohen, psychologists committed to the highest clinical standards
Frequently Asked Questions
Content draft — ED Parenting Audit — Solomon Advising — 2026-03-07