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.

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Michael Monahan

Hear from Michael Monahan, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

View Michael Monahan's profile

What is your go-to approach for family therapy?

My go-to approach in family therapy consists of the application of two main historical icons of family therapy. Both Salvador Minuchin's structural/functional model and Murray Bowen's family systems bring rich historical context, focus on family history, and identify patterns of behavior that are contributing to unhealthy family dynamics and communication challenges that cause turmoil.

What tools do you teach in family therapy?

A lot of the tools and strategies used in family therapy are focused on making small and realistic changes until the family can disrupt unhealthy patterns and find ways to slow down and listen to one another, with the goal of understanding and not just responding. In sessions, we focus on the most serious topics and create a process/system that guides them toward negotiating, expressing feelings (Feelings Wheel) in real time, and learning when to compromise. I utilize both the structural/functional model and family systems, as well as genograms, ecomaps, cultural grams, other psychoeducational material to highlight differences, and historical family systems issues to move towards solution-focused outcomes.

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

I know clients are making progress when there is a healthy increase in emotional connection in interpersonal relationships and clear boundaries/expectations within a relationship that encourage an interdependent partnership based on shared values.

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

Clients can supplement their time in family therapy by completing agreed-upon assignments, setting time aside each week to emotionally connect/bond, and developing a safe space to address conflicts and negotiate a shared outcome/resolution.

What should someone do to prepare for starting family therapy?

To prepare for starting family therapy, an individual should look inward and decide what they are willing to do to create an open, honest, engaging dialogue toward a meaningful outcome that will help their family grow.

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 Reston, 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 Reston, 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.

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 Reston therapists and counselors accept 29 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)

  • CareFirst Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Virginia | BCBS HMO

  • CareFirst Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Virginia | BCBS PPO

  • Carelon

  • Cigna | Evernorth

  • Cigna | Evernorth EAP

  • Cigna | Evernorth Medicare Advantage

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Self-pay costs at Reston
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

5.0 Thriveworks Reston reviews are collected through Thriveworks.com.
★★★★★
Michael was super in working with my wife, me and sometimes our son. He is a good listener, offers suggestions but in the end, we had to make our own decisions. It was good to bounce ideas off him and his manner makes one feel comforted after discussing issues with him. He also responded to my emails and emergency phone calls.
Read more Michael was super in working with my wife, me and sometimes our son. He is a good listener, offers suggestions but in the end, we had to make our own decisions. It was good to bounce ideas off him and his manner makes one feel comforted after discussing issues with him. He also responded to my emails and emergency phone calls.
Reston Mar 2020
Review left on Thriveworks.com

Where to find us

Getting here

Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Reston is located on Roger Bacon Dr., which is right off of Wiehle Ave. We share an office building with SCS Engineers, FVCBank, and Parabon Computation, to name a few. We’re also right by Fairfax fields and parks.

Phone number

(703) 782-3073

Languages spoken by VA providers

  • English
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
Friday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Saturday 8:00am - 9:00pm

Shown in ET

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
Friday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Saturday 7:00am - 6:00pm

Shown in ET

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