Image of a therapist and client in a counseling session.

9,385 people sought family therapy help in Massachusetts in the last year

Discover how starting family therapy can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.

Meet with a provider as soon as this week

Good news! We have 60 therapists in Massachusetts available for an online or in-person session.

Starting Family therapy

What is family therapy?

Family therapy helps families resolve conflicts and strengthen their relationships. It is led by qualified mental health professionals like psychologists, licensed professional counselors (LPCs), and licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) who have extensive training in family dynamics and group communication.

How does family therapy work?

Thriveworks family therapists in Cambridge, MA usually begin by asking what everyone’s goals are for family counseling. Family members may need help with very specific issues or with general relationship functioning. But there are three main purposes in family counseling: to educate, to counsel, and to strengthen. Thriveworks also offers online family therapy and in-person services, so you may all meet in an office together or join a video call from your home depending on everyone’s location and availability.

What is the most effective family therapy?

The most effective form of Family therapy will often depend on the family itself, as there are many types of family therapy for therapists to use as they see fit in order to best meet the needs of their clients. However, one of the most commonly used types of family therapy is structural family therapy (SFT). SFT focuses specifically on family dynamics and interactions, looking at how they shape the relationships and structure present in the family. It can be effectively used to treat a variety of concerns.

How do I know if my family needs therapy?

This answer often looks different to each family that starts family therapy. However, some signs that your family might need to consider family counseling include frequent fights or misunderstandings, constant tension, experiencing loss, behavioral issues, marital issues, divorce, and blended family issues, among others.

What is included in family therapy?

In family therapy, therapists will often start by asking questions and assessing individual and family dynamics. From there, they may employ therapeutic techniques such as structured family therapy, CBT, strategic family therapy, and more depending on the present concerns and conflicts. From there, a therapist will work to open lines of communication between family members and facilitate emotional healing and growth.

What is the success rate of family therapy?

Family therapy can be incredibly successful, with some studies reporting a success rate of almost 90% for improving participants’ emotional and mental health, and around 66% for improving their physical health.

Is family therapy conducted in person or online?

Thriveworks therapists in Cambridge, MA offer both online family therapy and in-person family therapy. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you.

How long does family therapy last?

Family therapy is usually short term and solution-focused, with most families accomplishing their goals in 12 sessions or fewer. However, it can also last for longer if the probles at hand are more complex — and that’s okay, too.

Need more help deciding?

Family units are living, breathing systems: each member’s life is interwoven with every other member’s life, for better or worse. When families are in balance, each person contributes and each person receives in a unique, valuable way. But it is no secret that families experience dysfunction. Life is almost never perfectly balanced, and all families, at some point, will experience a crisis or on-going challenge that could introduce tension and strife.

Sometimes, couples have trouble agreeing upon parenting styles, and their children are confused about expectations. Sometimes, one family member’s depression or anxiety affects other family members. Sometimes, family members have grown cold and distant as communication has broken down.

It takes time and effort, but families can establish healthy ways of connecting. Individual family members often receive the benefits as families grow healthier. Therapy offers families a safe place where they can explore how their family could face its challenges and grow closer together.

The particular circumstances your family faces are unique, but it is normal for family units to experience times of challenge. That’s why Thriveworks Cambridge offers family therapy, led by family therapists and psychologists. We know that every family needs help from time to time, and we have seen many families bond through the adversity.

What Is Family Therapy?

The key idea of family therapy is that people’s behaviors, beliefs, and identities are shaped by their family of origin. Even when people react against their families, understanding the individual must include understanding their family context. Oftentimes, a family’s coping mechanism, roles, and expectations shape an individual’s coping mechanisms, roles, and expectations.

Furthermore, individual family members are interwoven. What affects one, often affects all to some degree, and when the family as a whole grows healthier, the individual members usually receive the benefits of increased health. A skilled therapist may explore the family’s birth order, personality types, and love languages to increase understanding. Often, families will begin to see patterns of behavior that can be adjusted so that everyone’s gifts and needs are respected.

When families are in balance, they often experience the benefits of their hard work. Strong families often have…

  • Fewer cases of abuse and neglect
  • Less anxiety and depression-related conditions
  • More potential income as parents are shared earners (bonus: this reduces children’s risk of poverty)
  • Better coping skills for handling stress and adversity
  • Secure relational attachment between parents and children

Why Start Family Therapy?

What challenges is your family facing? Are multiple people affected? Will multiple people have to adjust in order to address the challenge? If yes, family therapy may help your family stay on the same page and potentially even grow closer.

More specifically, here are just a handful of reasons clients have chosen to start family therapy at Thriveworks Cambridge…

  1. Overbearing parenting with rebellious children.
  2. Overly-indulgent parenting with uncontrollable children.
  3. A family member who has special needs.
  4. Hormonal fluctuations within adolescents or parents that may be causing or making a conflict worse.
  5. A marriage relationship that lacks intimacy.
  6. Family members with unmet needs.
  7. A family member facing a mental illness.
  8. Inadequate or no premarital counseling and/or marriage maintenance therapy.
  9. Hostility/tension in any relationships.
  10. Unforeseen crises as a job loss or family death.

There is no quick-fix for any of these problems, but therapy may give the guidance families need when each member is ready to contribute. When families are willing to grow and work together, they can break out of harmful cycles and learn healthy ways to connect.

The therapists and psychologists at Thriveworks Cambridge are ready to help families establish loving, peaceful relationships.

Setting Up Family Therapy

Many families have clarified their challenges and found feasible steps forward through therapy at Thriveworks Cambridge, MA. Our therapists understand how…

  • Every family member has a voice.
  • The challenge is the challenge—not the people raising the concern or seeking help.
  • Kindness and listening can help solve many problems.
  • Each challenge has the potential to bring families closer together.

Has an on-going challenge or an unforeseen crisis knocked your family off balance? If you are ready to re-establish equilibrium, know that Thriveworks Cambridge offers family therapy. We have appointments available in the evenings and weekends, and many first-time clients see their counselor within 24 hours. We also work with most insurance providers. If it is time for your family to make a change, call Thriveworks today to set up therapy.

Pricing & insurance

Our therapists accept most major insurances. We accept 585+ insurance plans, and offer self-pay options, too.
Learn more about pricing for therapy and counseling services at Thriveworks.

Our Cambridge therapists and counselors accept 26 insurance plans

  • Aetna

  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts | BCBS

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield | Anthem (Blue Card)

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts | BCBS Medicare Advantage (HMO | PPO)

  • Carelon

  • Cigna | Evernorth

  • Cigna | Evernorth EAP

  • Cigna | Evernorth Medicare Advantage

  • Compsych

  • Fallon Health

  • First Health Network

  • Humana Exchange

Show more
Self-pay costs at Cambridge
Talk therapy

Talk therapy

Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Talk therapy

Psychiatry

Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Hear from our clients

4.5 Learn about verified reviews
★★★★★
All the people of thrive works have been great my doctor is awesome Dr. Lal
Anthony Dec 2023
Thriveworks.com verified review
★★★★★
I am so pleased with my decision to see Rebecca at ThriveWorks in Cambridge. She is compassionate and understanding, but also pushes me to feel confident I can make changes in my life that are needed most. I feel so supported. Feeling grateful that I took a leap to try Rebecca!
Read more I am so pleased with my decision to see Rebecca at ThriveWorks in Cambridge. She is compassionate and understanding, but also pushes me to feel confident I can make changes in my life that are needed most. I feel so supported. Feeling grateful that I took a leap to try Rebecca!
Cambridge May 2022
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Rebecca Rodriquez is a true professional. I have found her to be trustworthy and truly helpful. She demonstrates kindness, compassion and strong clinical knowledge in her therapeutic approach. I highly recommend her to all. She has been extremely helpful to me.
Read more Rebecca Rodriquez is a true professional. I have found her to be trustworthy and truly helpful. She demonstrates kindness, compassion and strong clinical knowledge in her therapeutic approach. I highly recommend her to all. She has been extremely helpful to me.
Cambridge Apr 2022
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
I have had the opportunity to work with Rebecca Rodrigues for a long time. She is a thoughtful professional, mindful clinician and highly respectful to her clients.
Read more I have had the opportunity to work with Rebecca Rodrigues for a long time. She is a thoughtful professional, mindful clinician and highly respectful to her clients.
Cambridge Apr 2022
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Arielle has been an incredible help in my life and I can’t thank her enough for it!
Cambridge Jun 2021
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
I've had the pleasure of working with Alicia at her previous job. She is an incredible clinician who's knowledge, leadership, and compassionate made her an excellent supervisor and therapist.
Read more I've had the pleasure of working with Alicia at her previous job. She is an incredible clinician who's knowledge, leadership, and compassionate made her an excellent supervisor and therapist.
Cambridge Jan 2020
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
I had been unable to make an appointment with a therapist for a long time. Everyone had a three month waiting list. I took a chance and made an appointment here. I love Hannah, she’s excellent, and I’m glad I found Thriveworks. It’s too soon for me to weigh in on the additional services Thriveworks offers but it seems good!
Read more I had been unable to make an appointment with a therapist for a long time. Everyone had a three month waiting list. I took a chance and made an appointment here. I love Hannah, she’s excellent, and I’m glad I found Thriveworks. It’s too soon for me to weigh in on the additional services Thriveworks offers but it seems good!
Cambridge Nov 2018
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Hannah Fulkerson has been a great help in creating a dialogue between myself and my wife. Thank you.
Read more Hannah Fulkerson has been a great help in creating a dialogue between myself and my wife. Thank you.
Cambridge Aug 2018
Review left on Thriveworks.com

Where to find us

Getting here

Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Cambridge is located off of Massachusetts Ave, on the north side of the Charles River. Our office is in the Cambridge Tower next to Apollo Travel and Tours, Tanjore, and Cambridge Premier Realty. The closest bus stop is Massachusetts Ave opp Lee St. If you have trouble finding our office or have any questions about how to get here, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Phone number

(617) 380-4651

Languages spoken by MA providers

  • English
  • Spanish
  • Creole
  • French
  • Japanese
Tuesday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Wednesday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Thursday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Friday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Saturday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Monday 8:00am - 9:00pm

Shown in ET

Tuesday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Wednesday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Thursday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Friday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Saturday 7:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 5:00pm
Monday 7:00am - 9:30pm

Shown in ET

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