A teenage girl sits between her parents, looking upset and thoughtful, while a female therapist takes notes during a family therapy session in a cozy, book-filled office.

What Is Family Therapy?

Family therapy is a collaborative counseling process where family members meet with a trained family therapist to explore patterns, strengthen communication, and understand the emotional experiences shaping their relationships. This form of therapy focuses on the family system as a whole, recognizing that each person’s feelings, behaviors, and life experiences influence the dynamic.

In a safe and supportive space, families learn how to navigate challenges together, express difficult emotions, and gain insight into how their roles and interactions affect one another. The goal is not to assign blame but to build resilience, deepen connection, and support each person’s well being within the family unit.

Family therapy in Austin is often chosen by parents, children, teens, or young adults who want mental health support that honors each person’s perspective while strengthening the bonds that keep families grounded.

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Phase 1: History Taking

Before beginning EMDR, your trauma therapist will get to know more about your experiences and symptoms. This step is for you to share about events in your past that may be affecting your current mindset.

Phase 2: Preparation

This stage is about ensuring your readiness for EMDR. Even though EMDR therapy for trauma is completely safe, it can be problematic for individuals who commonly experience dissociation. As a safeguard, your trauma therapist will work with you to create your own “calm place” to concentrate on if you feel distressed.

Phase 3: Assessment

It’s now time to choose a target to be reprocessed during your next few sessions. In doing so, you’ll need to identify a vivid image related to the memory, a negative cognition about yourself associated with it, and emotions and bodily sensations that accompany both. Your therapist will then have you challenge that negative cognition with a cognitive one. They will have you rate how true your positive cognition feels and how much distress the target memory causes you on a scale from 1-10.

Phase 4: Desensitization

This is where Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing comes into play. When you feel ready, your therapist will guide you to process your negative feelings and memories using bilateral eye movements to facilitate the brain’s healing process. This will help to ground you and take more directed focus on the thoughts, feelings, and images associated with your target. Every minute or so, your therapist will check in on what you’ve noticed and ask you to rate how much discomfort you’re now feeling. When you no longer report distress related to your targeted memory, you move onto the next step.

Phase 5: Installation

Next, your attention will be brought back to the positive cognition you identified earlier. Your trauma/PTSD therapist will recheck how true this belief now feels. The goal is to get this belief to feel like it’s 100 percent true.

Phase 6: Body Scan

You will now be asked to check your body for any areas of tension in your body caused by the target memory. Are your teeth clenched? Is your chest tight? Any uncomfortable physical sensations will be reprocessed using the same procedure as before until you can think of the target memory without feeling any tension.

Phase 7: Closure

At the end of every session, your trauma counselor will make sure that you are leaving feeling more relaxed than when you arrived. If you are feeling agitated, they will lead you through self-calming techniques until you regain your sense of control.

Phase 8: Reevaluation

At the beginning of each subsequent session, your therapist will ask you questions to ensure your positive beliefs have been maintained. This will also help them to identify any new problem areas that may need to be targeted.

EMDR therapy for trauma is considered a success once you are able to bring up memories of trauma without feeling the distress that brought you to therapy. Your trauma therapist will also provide you with the techniques and skills you need going forward to deal with upsetting feelings.

How Does Family Therapy Work?

Family therapy is designed to help families understand how their interactions, communication habits, and emotional responses shape the overall dynamic. Rather than centering treatment on one individual, the process explores how each family member’s experiences contribute to the larger system. A licensed family therapist guides these conversations with care, helping families notice patterns that may be creating tension, distance, or confusion.

During sessions, your therapist creates a safe and supportive space where each person can share their feelings without judgment. Using trauma informed approaches and practical tools, the therapist helps families practice healthier communication, set boundaries, and navigate difficult moments more effectively.

As therapy progresses, families often begin to develop new ways of relating to one another. Many report improved connection, greater empathy, and a clearer understanding of how to work through challenges as a team.

Man sitting on a sofa, appearing stressed, with hands clasped, in a counseling session.

Phase 1: History Taking

Before beginning EMDR, your trauma therapist will get to know more about your experiences and symptoms. This step is for you to share about events in your past that may be affecting your current mindset.

Phase 2: Preparation

This stage is about ensuring your readiness for EMDR. Even though EMDR therapy for trauma is completely safe, it can be problematic for individuals who commonly experience dissociation. As a safeguard, your trauma therapist will work with you to create your own “calm place” to concentrate on if you feel distressed.

Phase 3: Assessment

It’s now time to choose a target to be reprocessed during your next few sessions. In doing so, you’ll need to identify a vivid image related to the memory, a negative cognition about yourself associated with it, and emotions and bodily sensations that accompany both. Your therapist will then have you challenge that negative cognition with a cognitive one. They will have you rate how true your positive cognition feels and how much distress the target memory causes you on a scale from 1-10.

Phase 4: Desensitization

This is where Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing comes into play. When you feel ready, your therapist will guide you to process your negative feelings and memories using bilateral eye movements to facilitate the brain’s healing process. This will help to ground you and take more directed focus on the thoughts, feelings, and images associated with your target. Every minute or so, your therapist will check in on what you’ve noticed and ask you to rate how much discomfort you’re now feeling. When you no longer report distress related to your targeted memory, you move onto the next step.

Phase 5: Installation

Next, your attention will be brought back to the positive cognition you identified earlier. Your trauma/PTSD therapist will recheck how true this belief now feels. The goal is to get this belief to feel like it’s 100 percent true.

Phase 6: Body Scan

You will now be asked to check your body for any areas of tension in your body caused by the target memory. Are your teeth clenched? Is your chest tight? Any uncomfortable physical sensations will be reprocessed using the same procedure as before until you can think of the target memory without feeling any tension.

Phase 7: Closure

At the end of every session, your trauma counselor will make sure that you are leaving feeling more relaxed than when you arrived. If you are feeling agitated, they will lead you through self-calming techniques until you regain your sense of control.

Phase 8: Reevaluation

At the beginning of each subsequent session, your therapist will ask you questions to ensure your positive beliefs have been maintained. This will also help them to identify any new problem areas that may need to be targeted.

EMDR therapy for trauma is considered a success once you are able to bring up memories of trauma without feeling the distress that brought you to therapy. Your trauma therapist will also provide you with the techniques and skills you need going forward to deal with upsetting feelings.

Man sitting on a sofa, appearing stressed, with hands clasped, in a counseling session.

How Does Family Therapy Differ From Individual Counseling?

Individual counseling focuses on your personal experiences, inner world, and specific goals. It is ideal for exploring sensitive topics, building emotional awareness, and working closely with a licensed clinical social worker, LPC, LMFT, or LCSW-S who tailors the treatment directly to your needs.

Family therapy, on the other hand, emphasizes the relationships between family members. It allows each person to explore feelings, patterns, and needs in real time with the people they care about most. This approach can reduce isolation, improve communication, and offer insights that may not surface in an individual setting. A therapist from our private practice can help you determine the right therapist or combination of services to support your goals.

Why Choose Family Therapy?

Family therapy serves several meaningful purposes for those seeking mental health care.
Man sitting on a sofa, appearing stressed, with hands clasped, in a counseling session.

A Supportive Space to Explore Family Dynamics

Family therapy provides an opportunity to look closely at how family members relate to one another. Through curiosity and compassionate exploration, families can understand “how they are” with one another, uncover patterns that create conflict, and learn healthier ways to navigate daily life together.

A Place to Process Relationships and Life Transitions

Many families seek therapy when navigating major life transitions such as divorce, blending families, launching young adults, caring for aging parents, or adjusting to new roles. Family therapy helps each person feel heard and offers practical tools for moving through these changes with a greater sense of stability.

A Safe Space for Expression and Healing

With the guidance of a therapist who works collaboratively with families, each member has space to share emotions, discuss relationship issues, and receive support without fear of judgment. When clients feel safe, families often discover new ways of relating that promote healing and lasting change.

A Nonjudgmental Space to Strengthen Communication

Improving communication is one of the most common reasons families seek therapy. Through evidence based practices and trauma-informed care, families learn how to listen with empathy, express needs clearly, and repair misunderstandings.

Phase 1: History Taking

Before beginning EMDR, your trauma therapist will get to know more about your experiences and symptoms. This step is for you to share about events in your past that may be affecting your current mindset.

Phase 2: Preparation

This stage is about ensuring your readiness for EMDR. Even though EMDR therapy for trauma is completely safe, it can be problematic for individuals who commonly experience dissociation. As a safeguard, your trauma therapist will work with you to create your own “calm place” to concentrate on if you feel distressed.

Phase 3: Assessment

It’s now time to choose a target to be reprocessed during your next few sessions. In doing so, you’ll need to identify a vivid image related to the memory, a negative cognition about yourself associated with it, and emotions and bodily sensations that accompany both. Your therapist will then have you challenge that negative cognition with a cognitive one. They will have you rate how true your positive cognition feels and how much distress the target memory causes you on a scale from 1-10.

Phase 4: Desensitization

This is where Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing comes into play. When you feel ready, your therapist will guide you to process your negative feelings and memories using bilateral eye movements to facilitate the brain’s healing process. This will help to ground you and take more directed focus on the thoughts, feelings, and images associated with your target. Every minute or so, your therapist will check in on what you’ve noticed and ask you to rate how much discomfort you’re now feeling. When you no longer report distress related to your targeted memory, you move onto the next step.

Phase 5: Installation

Next, your attention will be brought back to the positive cognition you identified earlier. Your trauma/PTSD therapist will recheck how true this belief now feels. The goal is to get this belief to feel like it’s 100 percent true.

Phase 6: Body Scan

You will now be asked to check your body for any areas of tension in your body caused by the target memory. Are your teeth clenched? Is your chest tight? Any uncomfortable physical sensations will be reprocessed using the same procedure as before until you can think of the target memory without feeling any tension.

Phase 7: Closure

At the end of every session, your trauma counselor will make sure that you are leaving feeling more relaxed than when you arrived. If you are feeling agitated, they will lead you through self-calming techniques until you regain your sense of control.

Phase 8: Reevaluation

At the beginning of each subsequent session, your therapist will ask you questions to ensure your positive beliefs have been maintained. This will also help them to identify any new problem areas that may need to be targeted.

EMDR therapy for trauma is considered a success once you are able to bring up memories of trauma without feeling the distress that brought you to therapy. Your trauma therapist will also provide you with the techniques and skills you need going forward to deal with upsetting feelings.

Who Can Benefit From Family Therapy?

Family therapy in Austin can benefit families facing a wide range of challenges, life transitions, and mental health concerns. It is often helpful for families navigating:

  • Anxiety, depression, or emotional struggles
  • Major life transitions and shifting roles
  • Trauma, grief, or past relational wounds
  • Communication difficulties or recurring conflict
  • Parenting challenges and support for children or teens
  • Relationship issues between parents, partners, or young adults
  • Daily life stressors that affect family dynamics
  • Support for children receiving services through places like Austin Child Guidance Center or Integral Care

Families of all structures and backgrounds can gain support, guidance, and clarity. Working with a family therapist who offers trauma-informed, supportive care helps clients feel safe while exploring how each person contributes to the system.

Man sitting on a sofa, appearing stressed, with hands clasped, in a counseling session.

What To Expect During Family Therapy

While every therapist brings their own approach, most family therapy sessions include several consistent elements designed to support healing and communication.
Man sitting on a sofa, appearing stressed, with hands clasped, in a counseling session.

Understanding Family Patterns

Your therapist will help identify relational cycles, emotional patterns, and communication styles that shape how family members relate to one another. These insights form the foundation for healthier interactions.

Exploring Emotions and Experiences

Family members are encouraged to share their feelings, life experiences, and perspectives in a nonjudgmental space. The therapist ensures that clients feel safe enough to express themselves without fear of blame or criticism.

Developing Practical Tools

Using evidence based practices, attachment theory, and trauma-informed care, the therapist helps families learn strategies to navigate conflict, communicate more effectively, and support one another’s mental health.

Strengthening Relationships

Sessions focus on building empathy, increasing understanding, and improving relationships between parents, adults, children, and teens. Over time, families develop a deeper connection and a more supportive system.

Integration and Ongoing Support

Family therapy often complements individual counseling, couples therapy, or group therapy. Many families choose a combination of approaches depending on their needs. Your therapist will work collaboratively with you to determine what level of support is most helpful.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my family needs therapy?

Families often seek therapy when communication becomes difficult, when conflict continues repeating, or when life transitions begin affecting everyone’s well being. If family members feel disconnected or overwhelmed, a family therapist can help.

What does a typical family therapy session look like?

Sessions usually involve guided conversations where each person has space to share their experiences. Your therapist helps slow down interactions, clarify emotions, and introduce practical tools to support healthier communication.

Can children and teens participate in family therapy?

Yes. Family therapy often includes children, teens, parents, and young adults. Therapists trained in trauma-informed care and child development help create a supportive space where all ages feel safe and understood.

How long does family therapy usually last?

The length of the counseling process depends on your goals, the number of family members participating, and the challenges you are working through. Some families attend short term therapy for specific issues, while others engage in ongoing support.

Does insurance cover family therapy sessions?

Many clients receive out of network reimbursement for mental health care. Our private practice team can help you understand your benefits and what documentation you may need to request reimbursement from your insurance company.

If you still have questions, please feel free to give us a call: (512) 914-6635

Family Therapy for LGBTQIA+ Well-Being

At Louis Laves-Webb, LCSW, LPC-S & Associates, we affirm the experiences of LGBTQIA+ families. Our family therapy in Austin provides a safe and supportive space to explore identity, strengthen communication, and deepen connection among family members.

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