Family Therapy

Into to Family Therapy

Have you envisioned your family in a therapy session before? What comes to mind? For many, they picture tension and awkwardness – perhaps clenched jaws, clutched couch cushions and a severe lack of eye contact. But family therapy does not have to be a cliché version of what is shown on television. Rather, taking that leap of faith towards therapy and repairing your family unit, working with Andrew Pisko LMHC personalized family therapy approach should be met with a sigh of relief and excitement to get to the root of your problems, end feelings of resentment and find solutions to rifts or deep-seated issues.

Truthfully, the hardest part of therapy is getting your family members to take that first step – even just conversing with your family that you feel therapy would be an appropriate next step can feel daunting. Many parents struggle to get their spouse and/or children through the door of the therapist’s office for that first consultation. If you’re in this situation, reaching out to Andrew Pisko LMHC online or by phone for some guidance on how is the first step to getting your family through the door.

Most family therapy sessions involve more than two people, and can include kids, teenagers, relatives, siblings, adult children, or even very close friends. If you’re in a relationship and you’re looking for couples therapy, learn more about our relationship counseling services.

THERAPY IS FOR ALL KINDS OF FAMILIES

The word “family” can have a very different definition for each person, and they can look very different from one another. For example, some may feel that it involves only those related through blood or marriage, while others feel that their family includes anyone who has played a long-term, supportive role in their life. Whatever the case, therapy is for all kinds of family – whether you are related through blood, marriage, circumstances, or life events.

Andrew Pisko LMHC works with families that are diverse and he frequently works with families that have the following:

Adopted children
Same-sex parents
LGBTQ+ couples, relatives, or offspring
Separated or divorced parents
Stepfamilies
Members that do not live under the same roof

THERAPY IS FOR ADULT CHILDREN, TOO

It’s an unfortunate misconception that family counseling is only for school-age children or teenagers. The fact of the matter is that adult children and parents need help at times, too. Some adults struggle with caring for aging relatives – such as parents and grandparents. Some parents struggle with maintaining a balanced role in their adult children’s lives. Whatever the situation may be, Andrew Pisko LMHC has experience working with families of all kinds, including grown children that are seeking to improve their relationship with their parent/s, and vice versa.

HOW TO GET STARTED WITH FAMILY THERAPY

As mentioned, the hardest part may be getting your family members to agree to therapy. Once all are on board, take the following next steps to getting started:

Book a Consult: This can be done online, or you can call Andrew Pisko LMHC office to make this initial appointment over the phone. It can also be virtual or in person, depending upon your scheduling needs and level of comfort.

The First Appointment: This will undoubtedly be a monumental step for your family in the direction towards healing and repairing broken bonds or rifts. This is a time where Andrew Pisko LMHC can get to know all of you, and for your family to get to know her as your therapist and helper.

Plan for Future Sessions: Just as Rome was not built in one day, nor will your family be healed within the first several sessions. Although you will certainly note progress, it could take many more appointments before you really start to identify patterns, work on a course of action, and see improvements in your family unit. You can book as many or as few sessions as you would like, and of course, Andrew Pisko LMHC will make herself as available to your family and your scheduling needs as she possibly can.

If you’re ready to get started, book a consultation on our website, or Andrew Pisko LMHC directly with any questions or concerns.

What is psychotherapy?

The less aware we are of our thoughts, feelings, motives and behaviors, the more they control us. Psychotherapy helps clients understand their “stories”; the experiences that shaped them, the defenses that have helped protect them and the patterns or habits that are now preventing them from living a satisfying life. Psychotherapy is a dialogue. The client presents data, the therapist offers ideas about it’s meaning, the client responds with his/her interpretation, and so on. It is important that psychotherapy progresses at a pace that is comfortable and safe for the client. Change can feel frightening or overwhelming, and may not occur quickly.
What can psychotherapy do for me that a self-help book can’t?

Self-help books contain generalizations, based on someone else’s story, or on a combination of stories. While self-help books play an important role in our culture, they don’t offer the flexible, individualized approach that is often needed to bring about lasting life changes. In addition, books do not offer the therapeutic relationship that can encourage us and hold us to a greater level of accountability.
How do I choose the right therapist for me?

Read our therapist’s profile to determine if this person’s approach and specialties feel right for you. Most people can tell after an initial session whether they feel comfortable with a therapist’s style. Please feel free to speak up if you do not feel comfortable with the therapist, it will not offend us whatsoever. We want you to feel that you can develop an alliance of trust with your therapist – that is when therapy works best. We want to help you get to the right therapist.
Can I expect to feel better right away?

Some people begin to feel better as soon as they make their appointment or at the time of their first session. There can be a sense of relief when you make the commitment to address an issue that is problematic. More often, however, people do not feel better immediately. Therapy is sometimes emotionally painful, because it involves an active effort to look at yourself and your life situations in a very deep and honest way, and to make some difficult changes. If the problems that bring you to therapy were easy to solve, you would have solved them without the guidance of a professional. Though the short-term distress of addressing problems and making changes may feel challenging, keep in mind that the potential long-term gains can feel well worth it. When therapy is successful, the positive gains in self-esteem, improved relationships and coping skills will far outweigh the distress of making changes.
Do you accept insurance?

We accept many types of insurance, including Aetna, Cigna, Optum, and Unites. You should contact your insurance company to see whether they will cover your costs and how much they will pay. While there may be certain advantages to accepting services only from a provider who is in your network, often the savings do not justify the loss of the ability to choose your provider. Many companies require the insured to call and pre-certify the first session. Our institute also collects co-pays at each visit. Thus, it is always best to contact your insurance company before coming in for your first visit.
What is I do not wish to use insurance?

Although we take insurance if that makes sense for your situation, we have a number of clients who choose not to use insurance. Some clients have concerns about the degree of privacy that can be maintained once a claim makes it’s way to a huge managed care company. Others do not wish to be given the mental illness diagnosis that all providers must assign them if they are filing an insurance claim.
What if my therapist thinks I may need medication?

Although our training is to treat you using sound therapeutic skills, there are times when a medication referral is warranted. If your therapist thinks that medication might be helpful, he/she will discuss a referral to a health professional who is trained in working with emotional and behavioral issues – most often, a psychiatrist. At other times, there may be medical issues your therapist believes should be addressed, since feeling good requires being physically as well as emotionally healthy. As with other aspects of treatment, whether or not you choose to accept your therapist’s recommendation is ultimately your decision.
Can I be in the counseling session with my child?

Most children are open and ready to begin their first session on their own. There are toys and a comfortable room to safely work through their struggles. For most children, it is not necessary for a parent to be in the session. However, if a child is very anxious about being seperate from a parent, then it may make sense for you to join the first session or part of the first session. This can provide your child with the knowledge that they are with a trusted adult who is safe to spend time with when you are not around. Our goal is to support your child through the anxiety and develop enough self-confidence and independence to do their work without the extra support of their parents being in the room.
Will you tell me everything that happens in a session? When will we talk?

Your child's therapist will discuss the themes and key components of your childs session with you, either directly after the session or over the phone. It's not necessary to name every event that happened during a session for our time to be effective. During this 10-15 minute parent time, your child's counselor will discuss with you what progress is taking place in the playroom, at home and in school. This is also a time for you to discuss ways to support the transformation at home and any questions you may have about the process, specific struggles, and implementation of strategies. The goal is for you to feel supported by the therapist you are working with, so you can collaborate together.
What are your practice areas?

Depression and Anxiety Defiance and ADD Conduct Disorder Mentorship and Athletic Psychology LGBTQA-Transgender/Dyshporia Academic and Emotional Family Therapy/Divorce/Foster Reunification Early Intervention Personality Disorders Assessment and Treatment Evaluation for HRT Adolescent Issues Social Anxiety AND Phobia School Related Anxiety
Do you see paitents on the weekends?

No. Our operating hours are 9am to 6pm, Monday through Friday.