Image of a therapist and client in a counseling session.

25,282 people sought family therapy help in Virginia in the last year

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

Meet with a provider as soon as this week

Good news! We have 50 therapists in Virginia available for an online or in-person session.
Sarah Stovall

Hear from Sarah Stovall, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT)

View Sarah Stovall's profile

What is your go-to approach for family therapy?

My go-to approach for helping people in family therapy is with the use of family systems, psychoeducation, conflict resolution, CBT, communication skills, healthy boundary setting, and other modalities to support the family goals and objectives.

What tools do you teach in family therapy?

I teach the following tools in family therapy:

  • Communication skills
  • Anger management
  • Conflict resolution
  • Challenging negative and unhelpful thinking
  • Problem-solving skills
  • Healthy boundary setting

How do you know when a client is making meaningful progress in family therapy?

I know a client is making meaningful progress in family therapy when they are reducing symptoms related to distress and reporting the use of techniques learned outside of sessions to achieve treatment goals.

What can clients do in their personal time to supplement family therapy?

Clients are encouraged to practice and utilize their interventions and skills learned from sessions to support change and consistency outside of sessions.

What should someone do to prepare for starting family therapy?

To prepare for their first family therapy session, an individual can think of the areas they would like to improve on and be prepared to provide current and historical information for the intake to help support the identification of appropriate treatment goals.

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 Norfolk, VA 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 Norfolk, VA 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 Therapy in Norfolk, VA—Family Therapists, Counselors

The Hart family’s situation is tough. Learning to work through our sadness, anger, annoyance, or disappointment due to our family members can be extremely hard.

The licensed marriage and family therapists at Thriveworks Norfolk Counseling have the experience, training, and skills to help families like the Harts, and yours, get through the challenges that stand in your way. If you and your loved ones are struggling to push past the ups and downs and need a little extra unbiased support, consider reaching out to our office today.

Anger, Trust, and Lies: Can Family Therapy Help Us?  

One of the main goals of family therapy, or family counseling, is to help your family unit get back to a healthier, happier state of living. There are many challenges that families go through, both on an individual and group level. The mental health professionals at Thriveworks Norfolk Counseling have helped many families in the past with common issues including:

  • Divorce or separation
  • Marriages that lack connection
  • Unforeseen crises such as a family death, job loss, or loss of home
  • Problematic parenting that has led to disobedient children
  • Hormonal changes in children that is causing conflict
  • Uncontrollable children
  • A family member with unmet needs
  • Addiction and/or substance abuse within a family member
  • Unresolved tension in family relationships
  • Lack of proper communication and active listening
  • A family member, or members, battling a mental illness

If your family is going through one or more of these challenges, family therapy could be the right option for you. Sometimes it can be hard to see eye to eye, especially when there are feelings of anger and sadness involved. Our team of psychologists can help you and your family resolve these issues.

What to Expect During Family Therapy

Whatever the reason, your family therapist will meet with each individual family member to better understand their specific needs and goals to create a treatment plan that is unique to the whole family.

Family therapy is often short-term, meaning it can be completed in as little as nine sessions. We understand that every family and their needs are different, so don’t feel discouraged if you need more than nine meetings.

Regardless, our counselors want to help you and your loved ones improve communication, learn tools to articulate your needs, provide guidance on how to support each other, and learn coping mechanisms, and effective problem-solving techniques. Within time, you and those closest to you can be living the healthy and full life you’ve been wanting for some time.

Schedule a Family Therapy Session at Thriveworks Norfolk, VA Today

Are you ready to get your family back on track? We offer a safe space for families to work together and communicate openly to reach a common goal.

When you’re ready, visit our online booking portal or give us a call at (757) 317-4315. One of our scheduling specialists can set you up with a trusted counselor at a time that fits your schedule.

In addition to our regular daytime hours, we offer our clients evening and weekend sessions. No matter how busy your schedule is, we have something that works.

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 Norfolk therapists and counselors accept 27 insurance plans

  • Aetna

  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia Medicare Advantage

  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia | BCBS HMO

  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia | BCBS PPO

  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Virginia | Exchange

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield | Anthem (Blue Card)

  • Carelon

  • Cigna | Evernorth

  • Cigna | Evernorth EAP

  • Cigna | Evernorth Medicare Advantage

  • Compsych

  • First Health Network

Show more
Self-pay costs at Norfolk
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

Thriveworks Norfolk has no reviews yet, but check out these reviews from locations in Virginia.

4.5 Thriveworks Norfolk reviews are collected through Thriveworks.com.
★★★★★
Thriveworks helped me realize that I do believe people can change. I’m not the person I was three months ago, broken and fearful. I’m healthy and happy and for the first time being kind to myself. Thank you for giving me my life back.
Read more Thriveworks helped me realize that I do believe people can change. I’m not the person I was three months ago, broken and fearful. I’m healthy and happy and for the first time being kind to myself. Thank you for giving me my life back.
Anonymous Thriveworks Client
Review left on Thriveworks.com

Where to find us

Getting here

Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Norfolk is located on Hampton Blvd, near the intersection with Redgate Avenue and the Midtown Tunnel. The building is nestled between the Elizabeth River and the historic Ghent residential district, just down the street from Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.

Phone number

(757) 280-4736

Languages spoken by VA providers

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

Shown in ET

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

Shown in ET

4 photos