Family Systems

Family systems theory is a therapeutic philosophy based on the belief that people cannot be understood in isolation from one another, but rather as a part of their family. Family systems theory looks at each family as unique and evolving. A family systems approach to therapy always considers the entire family. If any member of the family has a problem, it is viewed as a symptom of as issue in the family group. Family systems therapy helps families to identify the ways their own family functions and to focus on and develop their strengths as a whole.

Local experts in Family Systems

Restore Therapy + Psychiatry

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Ruth has primarily worked with children and families in clinical social work practice in Children's Hospitals across the country for five years. She understands that defining the unique role family systems play gets us closer to understanding how the individual can take control of their behavior within the family system.

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Anchor Within Counseling

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Behavioral Health Office

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Alana Ogilvie (she/her)

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

LMFT, CST

As a marriage and family therapist my primary training and expertise is in family systems and working with relationship dynamics.

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Carl Jensen

Licensed Professional Counselor

MS, LPC

I have several years experience working with families. Although I don't see families today, I can work with individuals experiencing problems with their family dynamics. I have training in Structural family therapy.

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Mitch Bacon, MA, LMFT

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

Family shapes who you become. Each generation influences the next. Family Systems Therapy offers an opportunity to rediscover the healing benefits of being in healthy contact with the people we love. I provide a safe space for mindfully interacting person to person, creating the structure for new growth to occur. I am adept at bringing a family together through humor, creativity, and openness

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Travis Wright (he/him)

Professional Counselor Associate

MA

To have some deeper knowledge of our own family system can illuminate much of our habits and behaviors. This then gives us some space to begin to enact change with the people around us. Our own family system is some of the deepest parts of our experience in this life and having some knowledge about it can be liberating. Of course, this kind of work is not so easily explored since much of life's pain comes from our childhood.

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Kitty Kloud (She/They)

Clinical Social Work Associate

MSW, CSWA

A form of psychotherapy that helps individuals resolve their problems in the context of their family units, where many issues are likely to begin. This is the first stop in working to understand and contextualize the challenges you are facing.

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Carol Walnum, Certified Jungian Analyst, MA (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC, Certified Jungian Analyst

No human is an island wrote poet John Donne. Family systems use that concept, knowing we are all affected by the patterns and cultures of our family of origin. Often my clients discover family ways of being that no longer serve them and their current life. We work to explore this discovery and how to change without guilt and shame. We work to handle current, difficult family of origin issues.

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Terri Mishler, PsyD

Clinical Psychologist

Understanding the individual is part of a system in their families, relationships, social networks and workplace enables them to understand the changes they need to make, and how to make those changes in the context of the systems they experience.

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Rebel Heart Therapy (They/She/Her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC, LMFT, LCSW

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David Hanna (he/him)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC

We all have a family and that family can be the source of great joy... and great frustration. Understanding how to build successful family relationships is a struggle for most of us. My training is specifically in family systems counseling from Bastyr University and my ongoing training and professional growth is always related to better understanding family systems.

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Polly Harrison (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

C7190

None of us exists in a vacuum. We're embedded in systems large and small, and each of us in a family system. Often within these are our most precious and painful relationships- people who know how to push our buttons, patterns we can't seem to break. Family systems examines the push and pull of all members, acknowledging that every action is a reaction and that with awareness choice is possible.

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Zanita Zody (she/her)

Marriage and Family Therapist

PhD

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Kelly Aldinger (she/her)

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

PMHNP-BC, MSW, RYT

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Jenna Washburn (she / her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MA: Mental Health Counseling - Specialization in Addictions

Family Systems is all about recognizing how a person impacts and is impacted by the systems within which they interact - starting with their family of origin and extending into larger societal systems.

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Tracy Bryce Farmer (she/they)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW, CADC

Everyone starts from the same reality: we are impacted by our original family systems. These original relationships play out again and again in our current lives. If we don't like aspects of our original family system, we can study them and the patterns they have created. I will empower you to make changes in your relational and professional functioning that will improve your daily life.

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Kimberly Noall (she/her/hers)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC, MFT

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Kelly Sullivan (she/her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

L4631

People that surrounded us during our childhood and youth influence our perceptions and relationships as do our early romantic relationships. I think of the current challenges a person faces within a framework of their past in order to help them consider different ways to be in the present.

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Danielle Thompson

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

My background from school, and working has been in Family Systems. I deal with improving family functioning.

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Kelley O'Gorman (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MFT LPC

When we look into your family system we are given the information that created your world view. You learned to be you - from your family of origin. This helps us find where the glitches may have been & then we can work on healing.

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Leslie Yeargers (she/her)

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

LPC, LMFT, Certified Sex Informed Couples Counselor

Families take on a life and dynamic of their own. Sometimes a family can be deeply impacted by outside stressors or when a member is struggling. Through deep listening, I help you sort out what's going on in your family and assist in helping you develop resilience and deeper connection.

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Chad Ernest, MS, LPC (He/him)

Licensed Professional Counselor

I utilize a Family Systems approach in working with families. I take this a step further and help families to look at the environments around them as well as the supports in these environments. Working to help families see how their survival in a system impacts how they raise their children and how the choices they make can change the way they live for the better.

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Neil Panchmatia (he/they)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MS, NCC, Licensed Professional Counselor

I extensively use tenets of Internal Family Systems and parts work in my therapy.

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Sasha Rosenfels, MA, LMFT (She/her)

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

LMFT

We will utilize Family Systems approach in order to identify patterns of interactions and work to implement new, more helpful ways of communicating and interacting.

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Sonja Crisosto (she/her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW

Generally this model focuses on roles, interactions patterns, responsibilities of people within a family unit and how individuals within the unit function or interaction with each other. Supporting someone while they learn to attend to their own self and needs that may be in conflict with needs and goals of family unit.

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Rachel Kendall (she/ her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MS, C7689

The premise of the family system is that it is the origin of where our world view forms and also how inherently 'safe' we feel. We also form attachments early on that can influence the type of relationships we have later on in life. Based on the values a family wants to have, I can help them re-establish connection, beginning with understanding their family/ system of origin.

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Candice Jones (she/her)

Professional Counselor Associate

MA in Mental Health Counseling

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Christine Bethel (she/her)

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

LMFT

No man is an island unto himself. Each person I work with is impacted by the various systems and relationships in their lives. This broad perspective allows me deeper understanding and insight into the challenges and solutions each client brings with them.

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Richard Marshall

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

M.A., LMFT

Since I began practicing, I have used my graduate level training in family systems theory in order to help individuals and families identify and interrupt unhelpful recurring patterns of behavior and bring about lasting, positive systemic change. Additionally, family systems-informed therapy can help clients heal from damaging inter-generational trauma.

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Madeline Fox

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

Whether it is the family you were born into or the family you chose to create, we are impacted and impacting everyone that we hold dear to our hearts. I think great change can occur in your life when you include your family in treatment and explore the ways you are connecting and work towards shifting the moments of hurt and disconnection.

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Zachary Newman, LPC, LMFT (he/him)

Licensed Professional Counselor

M.A., LPC, LMFT

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Regina Tricamo (She/her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW

We are all shaped in some ways by the context of our families of origin. As we identify patterns from our families, we have the opportunity to make different choices in our lives now. I find this to be some of the most exciting and fruitful work I engage in as a therapist and therefore I have worked for years with a mentor and consultation group to explore this approach in depth.

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Brandt Hueser

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Working in home-based mental health for over 10 years has provided me the training and experience to help families resolve conflict. I believe the stories that families and individuals carry with them serve as a blueprint for decision making and patterns throughout life. Changing these patterns is an important part in reaching family and individual goals.

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Kelly Washam (she/her)

Marriage and Family Therapist Associate

MA, MAC, LMFTA

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Judy Marantz-Herzberg (she/her)

Social Worker

LCSW and LSSW (Licensed School Social Worker)

Even when we grow independent, we never really leave behind the shaping influences of family. I help clients consider these influences, and their effects on adult life and relationships. When working with adolescents, I aim to increase connections and communication with family members, often involving them in counseling sessions.

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Kathleen Thompson (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC, CRC

For over 100 years the field of Psychology has made the patient/client feel like they were the problem. What would it mean if you realized that the role you took on as a child is still impacting you today. Many people do not realize that when it comes to family dynamics we actually had few choices in how to act or be. By examining your family system we can discover the authentic you.

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