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50 licensed therapists & providers in Michigan—4 in Royal Oak. Available as soon as today, in person and online
Our providers work with individuals, couples, families, & teens for anxiety, depression, grief, & more
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94% of patients feel truly understood by their provider. 3 out of 4 see improvement in depression & anxiety symptoms within 3 months
Discover how starting family therapy can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.
I am passionate about helping children, teens, and adults recognize their strengths, build resilience, and develop practical tools...
About
I am passionate about helping children, teens, and adults recognize their strengths, build resilience, and develop practical tools they can use long after counseling ends.
I am Gabrielle Wardlaw-Pfaff, a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), School Counselor (SCL), National Certified Counselor (NCC), and Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CCMHC). For over 15 years, I have worked with children, teens, adults, and families in school and mental health settings. I support clients experiencing anxiety, depression, self-esteem concerns, grief, life transitions, relationship challenges, stress, emotional regulation difficulties, and family conflict. Many of the clients I work with are seeking practical tools, emotional support, and a path toward greater confidence and well-being.
My approach is warm, collaborative, and goal-oriented. I utilize evidence-based techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Therapy, and person-centered approaches to help clients build coping skills, improve communication, strengthen relationships, and navigate life's challenges while recognizing and building upon their strengths.
I believe every person deserves to feel seen, heard, and supported. Whether you are facing a difficult season or looking to create positive change, you do not have to navigate it alone. I would be honored to walk alongside you on your journey and support you in reaching your goals when you are ready to take the next step.
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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.
Thriveworks family therapists in Royal Oak, MI 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Thriveworks therapists in Royal Oak, MI offer both online family therapy and in-person family therapy. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you.
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.
Family therapy functions to help families work through their conflicts, change bad habits and dynamics, and ultimately improve the overall relationships. If you think that your family could use some help working through internal issues, addressing bad habits, or cultivating healthier relationships, family therapy might be for you! You might not feel like you need counseling, but that doesn’t mean that your family won’t find value in it.
Thriveworks Counseling has skilled, trained, and experienced family therapists in the Royal Oak area who are prepared to help you. They care deeply about every single family they work with, and they will get to know you and yours before they design a plan for your family’s time in counseling. Then, they’ll guide and support your family throughout treatment, to help you improve your overall dynamic and patch up any holes in your relationships. To schedule your family therapy session now, just call (947) 217-3010.
If you’re wondering if therapy is right for your family or if now is the time to seek help, ask yourself: “Have we tried to resolve the problem at hand?” “Are we suffering as a result of our familial conflicts?” “Could we benefit from some outside assistance?” If the answer is yes, consider reaching out to Thriveworks Counseling in Royal Oak. We have family therapists on our team who would be more than happy to assist you with problems like…
These are just some of the common problems we see in the families that come to us for therapy. If your family is facing a separate issue, no worries. Our therapists are trained and experienced to help with a wide variety of problems that might be plaguing your relationships. Whatever it is, they’ll help you work through your difficulties.
If you and your family members decide to pursue care at Thriveworks Counseling in Royal Oak, your family therapist will first assess the current status of your relationships and get to know each individual. They will then use their analysis to create a plan of care for your family. This plan will be designed to offer support and guidance in overcoming what’s in front of you. Here are a few benefits you can find in family therapy:
At Thriveworks Counseling, we’ll do everything we can to help your family put the pieces back together; to restore the harmony; to improve your relationships; to live happier, healthier lives. If you think that your family could benefit from working with a family therapist, please reach out to our office. Just call (947) 217-3010 and our scheduling specialists will assist you.
Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy
Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management
Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Royal Oak is located near S Main St and E 3rd St, off Woodward Ave. It is just a short walk from the Royal Oak Public Library and near the Royal Oak Farmers Market.
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50 therapists available in Michigan, including 4 in Royal Oak
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