Take the First Step Toward a Healthier Family in New York City

At Downtown Psychological Services, PC, we provide family counseling and behavioral therapy for families in New York City who want to strengthen family dynamics, improve effective communication, and support each other through Mental Health Concerns and major life transitions. Our family therapy nyc services help the entire family unit — partners, children, and individual members — rebuild family bonds, reduce family conflict, and create healthier family relationships within a supportive environment and safe space to talk.

Family counseling (also called family psychotherapy) is a structured, short-term or longer-term treatment that focuses on patterns among parents, children, and other members of the family. We draw from evidence-based approaches and therapeutic approaches informed by systemic models (including work pioneered at institutions like Ackerman), and we integrate behavioral therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), psychodynamic therapy, attachment-informed work, and skills training to create positive change that lasts in everyday Family Life.

Whether you are navigating communication breakdowns, Anger Management struggles, eating disorders, substance use disorder, chronic illness, or other difficult experiences, our mental health professionals collaborate with you to build a clear treatment plan tailored to your family’s needs.

How Family Therapy Helps Your Family Life

Family therapy helps clarify roles, improve emotional well-being, and restore trust so that loved ones can relate to each other in healthier ways. Rather than focusing only on one individual, we look at how patterns among individual members shape the family unit — how arguments start, how they escalate, and how they resolve. This systems lens allows us to make small, targeted changes that lead to positive change across the entire family.

How Our Process Works

We begin with a collaborative assessment to understand strengths, stressors, and goals for each of the members of the family. Then we co-create a treatment plan that may combine:

• Parent guidance and coaching focused on communication issues, limit-setting, and emotional validation

• Child and teen sessions that address anxiety, mood, self-esteem, school stress, and peer or social challenges

• Whole-family meetings to practice effective communication and problem-solving in real time

• Group therapy options (for example, parent skills groups) to build a supportive environment with other caregivers

• Couples Counseling or couples therapy when the partnership itself needs focused attention

We coordinate, when appropriate, with your individual therapy provider, psychiatrist, or pediatrician to support integrated Mental Health Counseling. With your consent, we may also communicate with schools to help align support plans across home and classroom.

Who Benefits Most

Our counseling services are particularly effective for families experiencing:

• Communication breakdowns, ongoing conflict, or frequent escalations at home

• Life transitions and major life transitions (new sibling, blended families, relocation, loss, separation, or divorce)

• Child and teen concerns, including:

  • Anxiety, low mood, or self-esteem concerns

  • School stress, academic pressure, and social challenges

  • Behavioral concerns, impulsivity, or Anger Management difficulties

  • Eating disorders, body-image concerns, or related Mental Health Concerns

  • Substance use disorder risk or experimentation

• Co-parenting alignment for separated or divorced parents who want a healthier family experience for their children

• Neurodiversity-affirming support and skills training for families with ADHD, autism, or learning differences

Why Targeting the Family Unit Matters

Families are resilient, but stress can amplify unhelpful patterns. By targeting interactions — not just individuals — therapy produces faster, longer-lasting change. Results often include clearer roles, improved problem-solving, and daily routines that reduce conflict and support emotional well-being. Many families notice:

• More effective communication and fewer reactive arguments

• Improved cooperation around homework, chores, and screen time

• Increased empathy among individual members and greater respect for each other’s needs

• Stronger family bonds and a healthier family culture overall

Practical Details About Sessions

• Scheduling: We offer after-school and early evening times to fit busy work and school routines.

• Frequency: Most plans begin with weekly sessions, shifting to biweekly as skills consolidate.

• Timeline: Many families benefit from an 8–12 session short-term model; more complex goals may extend longer.

• Format: We offer a blend of online family counseling and in-person sessions to match your preferences.

• Coordination: With consent, we collaborate with schools, pediatricians, and your psychiatrist for comprehensive care.

Pro Tip: Bring a recent example of a tough moment at home to your first session. We’ll map the sequence together, identify the key communication issues, and agree on one small change each person can try this week — quick wins help build momentum.

Rooted in the Community We Serve

Our clinicians live and work locally and understand the pace and pressures of urban Family Life. We regularly support families in the Financial District, Tribeca, Battery Park City, Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Williamsburg, the Upper West Side, and the Upper East Side, as well as families commuting from Long Island and New Jersey. We are licensed mental health professionals in New York State and tailor care to the realities of apartment living, NYC school calendars, and high-performance workplaces.

We also understand that many families are navigating obligations across New York City and New Jersey, and we work with you to design a realistic treatment plan that respects your time, culture, and values.

Programs & Services We Offer

• Whole-Family Sessions: Structured meetings to practice effective communication, conflict resolution, and problem-solving in real time.

• Parent Coaching & Parenting Skills: Collaborative behavior plans, limit-setting strategies, and emotion coaching techniques rooted in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and other evidence-based approaches.

• Child & Teen Sessions: Developmentally attuned individual therapy that addresses Mental Health Concerns, self-esteem, school stress, social challenges, and identity-related issues.

• Group Therapy Options: Parent skills groups and, when appropriate, teen process and skills groups to reinforce coping skills and peer support.

• Couples Counseling: Support for partners navigating parenting stress, family conflict, or relationship strain that impacts the family system.

• Care Coordination: Collaboration with pediatricians, schools, and other behavioral health providers for integrated treatment.

Expert Tip: Ask how each plan measures progress between sessions. Look for specific skills (for example, “Stop–Step–Plan” or “Validate–Then–Problem-Solve”) and a shared way to track change at home so each member of the family can see positive change over time.

How to Choose the Right Provider for Your Family

Key Questions to Ask

• What is your clinical orientation, and how do you integrate the family system in care?

• How do you involve parents and teens without losing trust or confidentiality?

• What specific services and programs (for example, group therapy, parent training, Couples Counseling) do you offer?

• How do you coordinate with schools, pediatricians, or a psychiatrist when needed?

• How will we know if treatment is working week to week and across the course of care?

Credentials & Training to Look For

• Graduate training and state licensure in psychology, social work, counseling, or marriage and family therapy

• Post-graduate training in systemic models (for example, Ackerman-informed approaches), CBT/DBT skills, and parent coaching

• Experience working with children, teens, and adults so the therapist can flex across developmental stages

• Familiarity with chronic illness, neurodiversity, and complex Mental Health Concerns such as substance use disorder or eating disorders

• Membership in professional organizations for Marriage and Family Therapists or related mental health professionals

When considering providers in New York City, many families also look at whether the clinician has trained in or around major academic centers and medical systems (such as those associated with Columbia University and other New York State institutions), as this can indicate strong clinical foundations.

Red Flags to Avoid

• Vague goals with no clear treatment plan, home practice, or way to measure progress

• Limited coordination with other behavioral health supports when your family needs more integrated care

• One-size-fits-all plans that ignore cultural background, school context, or neighborhood realities

• Providers who dismiss your concerns about safety, Anger Management, or substance use disorder risks

Why Families Choose Downtown Psychological Services, PC

• 30+ years of psychological care in Manhattan and the surrounding region with systemic expertise and data-informed planning

• Integrated counseling services for children, teens, and adults, plus parent coaching, group therapy, and couples therapy options

• Collaborative care with your pediatrician, psychiatrist, or other mental health professionals when indicated

• A holistic approach that considers mental health, Family Life, work demands, school pressures, and chronic stressors

• Same-week availability for many new families and flexible scheduling, including online family sessions

Frequently Asked Questions: Can Family Therapy Help?

What kinds of family issues can counseling address?

Family counseling can help with communication issues, ongoing conflict, parenting differences, Anger Management, school stress, sibling rivalry, eating disorders, substance use disorder risk, and the impact of chronic illness or major life transitions. It focuses on how individual members affect each other and how the family unit can move toward more effective communication and a healthier family environment.

How long does family counseling usually take?

Many families work with us in a structured short-term model of 8–12 sessions. Some families choose to continue longer when they are navigating complex Mental Health Concerns, blended family transitions, or long-standing patterns of family conflict. We review progress regularly and adjust the treatment plan with you.

Is online family counseling as effective as in-person sessions?

Online family counseling can be highly effective, especially for busy families in New York City who coordinate multiple schedules. We use secure video platforms and adapt our therapeutic approaches so everyone can participate, whether in online family sessions, in-person sessions, or a hybrid model.

Can family counseling work if only some members of the family attend?

Yes. While having the entire family in the room can be helpful, meaningful positive change can often start with just one or two individual members. We focus on what each person can do differently at home, which can reduce family conflict and shift patterns for everyone.

How does family counseling relate to individual therapy or couples therapy?

Family counseling can complement individual therapy and Couples Counseling. Individual therapy focuses on one person’s internal experience; couples therapy focuses on the partnership; family counseling focuses on how all members of the family influence each other. We can coordinate with your existing providers to ensure a consistent, holistic approach.

Get Started

If you’re in New York City or the surrounding area and ready to strengthen your family’s communication, resilience, and daily routines, reach out to Downtown Psychological Services, PC. We’ll match you with a therapist experienced in your goals, outline a clear treatment plan, and schedule your first session — often within a week.

We also offer the following therapy:

• Marriage Counseling

• Couples Therapy

• CBT Therapy

• Somatic Therapy

• Trauma Therapy