Image of a therapist and client in a counseling session.

4,039 people sought family therapy help in California in the last year

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

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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 San Francisco, CA 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 San Francisco, CA 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?

Hillary and her mother, Judy, have been at each other’s necks since Christmas. After a particularly bad argument, neither of them are interested in talking. While both feel regret over the words they said to each other, the fact remains that reconciling seems impossible. With the rest of the family doing their best to tiptoe around the issue, Hillary and her mother’s issues have thrown off their family’s dynamics. 

But with her mom’s birthday coming up, Hillary knows she’ll have to engage with Judy–and she’d rather get this past argument behind them beforehand. That’s why Hillary is looking for a family therapist—someone who can help them to get back on the same page. After sending her mom a text inviting her to attend a session together, Hillary feels better. Her mom responded, and said she thought it was a great idea. 

Maybe your situation is different from Hillary and Judy’s, but the fact remains that all families will encounter difficulties in their relationships together. But with help from the family therapists at Thriveworks in San Francisco, CA, you and your relatives can start growing and healing together. Contact our office today if your family is ready to take the next steps. 

Does Our Family Need to Talk with a Family Counselor?  

The decision to seek family counseling services is an independent decision, one that you and your family will most likely make on your own. There’s no universal rule that dictates if you and your loved ones need therapy. But with that in mind, there are several indications that can serve as warning signs when a family’s dynamics turn negative, including: 

  • Feelings of resentment or hostility 
  • Unruly behavioral issues in children or teens 
  • Persistent anxiety over financial issues or relationship difficulties 
  • Undiagnosed mental health conditions or disorders 
  • Alcohol or drug addiction

In addition to these situations, it’s common for family members to feel resistant or hostile towards a family therapist. In most cases, it’s simply because that family member is uncertain or worried about how a family therapist is going to help them. Rest assured that our mental health professionals are committed to strengthening the connection between you and your relatives. They aren’t going to choose sides or berate you for your actions. 

How Can Family Counseling Help Us? 

At Thriveworks in San Francisco, CA  our family counselors can assist you and your relatives by: 

  • Creating and promoting newfound respect for each relative’s personal boundaries and healthy communication
  • Offering encouragement, enabling you to empathize and compromise with one another 
  • Working through mental health conditions with family members to find new emotional balance and well-being 
  • Providing assistance as you engage in balanced dialogue and candid discussion

It’s normal to feel uncomfortable about sharing your personal life with a family therapist or other mental health professional. But doing so allows them to understand your perspective and the dynamics in play that need to be adjusted. With that valuable feedback, our providers can team up with you and your loved ones to start implementing customized coping methods and communication strategies. 

And with our online counseling and therapy options at Thriveworks in San Francisco, CA, there’s no need to feel separated by distance. As long as all of your relatives have a reliable internet connection and somewhere private to talk with your shared counselor, you can connect virtually anywhere. Start moving forward with the convenience and flexibility granted by online family counseling.

Schedule a Family Counseling Session in San Francisco, CA Today

Your family doesn’t need to struggle with your challenges alone. Connecting with a family counselor at Thriveworks in San Francisco, CA  is a great way to preserve the connections you all share. Give us a call when you and your relatives are ready; our scheduling specialists will be standing by to assist you seven days a week. With their help, you can easily find the perfect session time that fits everyone’s schedule, find a provider that fits, and set up insurance to cover any costs. 

Enrolling with Thriveworks also offers you all insider benefits, such as: 

  • Weekend and evening session availability
  • Email contact with your provider in-between session
  • Our Q/A ask a coach option: for questions that can’t wait till the next session
  • Scheduling assistance from our specialists, 7 days a week 
  • Flexible cancellations and same week appointments

Choosing to seek family counseling is a proactive step towards a better home life and improvised connections between you and your family. While it’s never easy to navigate turmoil in our close relationships, our family counselors can offer you hope and guidance. There’s no shame in turning to the support of a mental health professional for your family’s needs. Call our office in San Francisco, CA to team up with a family counselor at Thriveworks.

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 San Francisco therapists and counselors accept 22 insurance plans

  • Aetna

  • Blue Shield of California | BCBS

  • Cigna | Evernorth

  • Cigna | Evernorth EAP

  • Cigna | Evernorth Medicare Advantage

  • Compsych

  • First Health Network

  • Humana Exchange

  • Humana HMO/POS

  • Humana PPO | EPO | HDHP

  • Imperial Health Plan Medicare Advantage

  • JP Farley Corporation

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Self-pay costs at San Francisco
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 Learn about verified reviews
★★★★★
My entire experience so far has been great.. both my psychiatrist and therapist have been a good fit in my treatment.. I am learning new skills with each visit, and gain a little more insight as well.. the convenience of having video visits is an added plus since my anxiety keeps me from driving right now.
Read more My entire experience so far has been great.. both my psychiatrist and therapist have been a good fit in my treatment.. I am learning new skills with each visit, and gain a little more insight as well.. the convenience of having video visits is an added plus since my anxiety keeps me from driving right now.
Joe Feb 2024
Thriveworks.com verified review

Where to find us

Getting here

Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry San Francisco is located in the same building as Sport Healing & Massage Arts, Tylovastein Hana Hyde Street Community Service, Tenderloin Outpatient Clinic, Olay Spa, California Center for Sleep, and many other businesses. We are located at the intersection of Sutter Street and Hyde Street. Across the street is Ace’s sports bar and Dignity Health Medical Group. Colombini Bistro and Crostini & Java are also next door to our office.

Phone number

(628) 266-4525

Languages spoken by CA providers

  • Russian
  • 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 PT

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 PT

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