Family Psychotherapy

Cadenza Center clinicians have experience in helping a diverse range of clients from a variety of racial, ethnic, and spiritual backgrounds. Our goal is to provide clients with tools to solve ongoing problems as well as to help them find greater levels of intimacy and understanding.

Couples

Our clinicians believe that love and acceptance come in a wide variety of forms. Couples can be married or dating, gay or straight. We recognize that most couples seeking therapy are usually facing some issue they have been unable to resolve alone. The decision to enter couples counseling can often be a difficult one, so we will be as sensitive and supportive as possible. We initially help couples discuss their issues in a constructive, non-threatening manner, including learning to avoid the most common mistakes in communication. Once healthy dialogue is established, the couple then works to resolve hurt feelings and overcome current problems with the aid of the therapist.

Family therapy

Cadenza Center clinician belief that each family is a unique social system with itâ€™s own structure and patterns of communication. These patterns are determined by many factors, including the parents' beliefs and values, the personalities of all family members, lifestyle factors, and the influence of the extended family (grandparents, aunts, and uncles). As a result of these variables, each family develops its own unique personality, which is powerful and affects all of its members.

In general, anyone who wants to improve troubled relationships can benefit from family therapy. Your family may do family therapy along with other types of mental health treatment, especially if one of you has a serious mental illness that also requires intense individual therapy. Family therapy isn't a substitute for other necessary treatments.

Family therapy at the Cadenza Center begins with our understanding that difficulties with one family member may be a symptom of a larger family problem. Not all members of the family attend each session. Therefore, treating only the identified person is sometimes like treating the symptom of a disease but not the disease itself. During therapy sessions, the family's strengths are used to help them handle their problems. Family therapy is a very active type of therapy, and family members are often given assignments. For example, parents may be asked to delegate more responsibilities to their children. All members take responsibility for problems. Some family members may need to change their behavior more than others. Because families work as integrated and interrelated systems, any change in one family member ultimately affects the entire family structure and those within it.

By working from a systemic approach, Cadenza Center clinicians teach family members how to function in general and assist in identifying conflicts as well as developing strategies to resolve them. By improving effective communication, coping skills, and problem-solving skills, all members of the family benefit. The number of sessions required varies, depending on the severity of the problems and the willingness of the members to participate in therapy. The family and the therapist set mutual goals and discuss the length of time expected to achieve the goals.

Whether a couple's relationship is in trouble or just needs a tune-up, everyone can benefit from learning how to resolve conflict and communicate more clearly, and deepen their sense of intimacy with their partners. Living together is a skill but sometimes couples' need a coach to help them achieve the greatest intimacy. Cadenza Center clinicians are skilled at helping clients to raise their awareness of unconscious processes to look at repetitive patterns and coping strategies along with finding adaptive ways to alter negative thoughts, beliefs or behaviors. Eating disorders in adolescents are often treated with family therapy. Cadenza Center clinicians avoid blaming any family member for the problems, rather they help the family interact in different ways that may solve the problem.

Treating Adolescents

In the case of adolescent treatment, Dr. Reitman prefers to work as closely as possible with the family unit in order to determine and resolve or prevent issues that might contribute to continuing escalation and relapse. Dr. Reitman has also worked with adults in court-ordered outpatient follow up, particularly DUI cases. Additionally, Dr. Reitman provides prevention services for those who feel they may be at-risk for addiction.

Although some clients choose to enter family therapy as the first choice of treatment, other times family work is incorporated after period of individual, child, or couples therapy. Our therapists can assist families, large or small, in addressing issues that have previously caused conflict between family members. These may include:

Divorce & Marital Problems
Eating disorders, such as anorexia or bulimia
Substance abuse
Depression or bipolar disorder
Chronic health problems, such as asthma or cancer
Grief, loss and trauma
Work stress
Parenting skills
Emotional abuse or violence
Financial problems