Discover how starting family therapy can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.
4 therapists available in Henrico
Patricia "Tricia" McCarty is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who enjoys helping people work through life transitions, addiction...
About
Patricia "Tricia" McCarty is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who enjoys helping people work through life transitions, addiction, grief/loss, chronic illness/pain, anxiety, depression, stress, and low self-esteem. Tricia uses a humanistic approach and a variety of therapeutic modalities, including cognitive-behavioral, mindfulness-based, strength-based, narrative, acceptance and commitment, expressive art as therapy, and positive psychotherapy.
Tricia completed her Master of Social Work at Virginia Commonwealth University. She will actively listen, help you gain perspective, explore with you what is keeping you from becoming the best version of yourself, and make a plan that will empower you to reach your goals.
“In any given moment we have two options: to step forward into growth or to step back into safety” (Abraham Maslow). Sometimes what feels safe, comfortable, and familiar, is actually unhealthy; change can be hard and the unknown scary. Do you feel stuck, repeating toxic patterns or negative thinking? Have life events or stress become overwhelming or seem unmanageable? Maybe you just need a supportive space to talk about what you’re going through and how you are feeling.
Education and training
View more therapists in Henrico
Jennifer Brown (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Virginia with more than 15 years of experience working with folk...
Jennifer Brown (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Virginia with more than 15 years of experience working with folks across a wide variety, including children, families, couples, and individual adults seeking support in dealing with anxiety, depression, traumatic experiences, abuse/neglect, self-injury, suicidal thoughts/urges, substance use/addiction needs, relationships, and family issues. She takes an open-minded, affirming, supportive approach and values the opportunity to give others time and safe space to openly be themselves as they seek connection, happiness, and fulfillment.
Jennifer utilizes a collaborative, person-centered approach in her work, and has a variety of methods at hand to put into practice, depending on her clients' needs and preferences -- including cognitive behavioral (CBT), motivational, dialectical (DBT), mindfulness/meditation, emotion focused (EFT), solution focused, polyvagal, and EMDR.
With an undergraduate background in math, astronomy, and physics, Jennifer is used to expanding her awareness and thinking about things from differing perspectives. She sees her purpose as to follow your lead and put appropriate, available tools to work in order to help you elevate your consciousness and achieve your goals.
I believe one of the most effective ways of forming meaningful interpersonal connectivity is by being intentional in one’s effort ...
I believe one of the most effective ways of forming meaningful interpersonal connectivity is by being intentional in one’s effort in “seeing” the individuals I am privileged to “share space” with.
Renea Smith is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with over a year of supervised clinical counseling experience, working with seniors, adults, adolescents, families, and couples in private practice settings. Renea also has over 14 years of experience in school counseling. Having grown up in a multi-generational home during her adolescent years and having served both the comprehensive and exceptional education school settings, she has a deep-rooted admiration and respect for the older population, parents, educators, caregivers of children with unique needs and abilities. She seeks to provide support to those in need of an extra dose of reassurance, unconditional positive regard, and relevant coping skills to take care of themselves as they take care of others around them.
As a former Peace Corps Volunteer (South Africa 1999-2001) who earned her Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Liberty University, Renea believes it is paramount to show honor to all people and the history we each bring into this world we share. She has clinical experience working with a diverse array of individuals. Each individual, as well as their personal struggles and resources of strength, insight, and rich experience are warmly welcomed into her counseling room.
Renea welcomes this awesome opportunity to not only educate, guide, and empower, but also to learn, grow, and even play---together!
Renea believes one of the most effective ways of forming meaningful interpersonal connectivity is by being intentional in one’s effort in “seeing” the individuals she is privileged to “share space” with.
Wendy Wasserstrom is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 9 years of social work experience. She has provided mental hea...
Wendy Wasserstrom is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 9 years of social work experience. She has provided mental health services to children, adolescents, adults, and older adults, and she has experience providing individual and group therapy. She has worked with individuals dealing with anxiety, depression, trauma, life transitions, substance abuse, and family conflict.
Wendy earned her undergraduate degree in Social Work from Florida State University and her Master’s degree in Social Work from Florida Atlantic University. She has worked in a variety of settings, providing services in the community, outpatient settings, and public schools. An area of particular passion includes working with young adults with a wide variety of presenting concerns including depression, anxiety, substance use, self-injury, trauma, and sexual assault recovery.
Wendy utilizes a wide range of therapeutic techniques including cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, strength-based, solution-focused, and motivational interviewing. Wendy realizes that each person is unique and tailors her therapeutic approach to each client. Her approach to therapy is person-centered and involves meeting her clients where they are. She approaches clients with compassion and acceptance. Wendy believes that therapy requires vulnerability and courage and works to create a safe setting for that work to occur.
You deserve dedicated time with a mental health professional — it can be life-changing.
Not ready to book? Contact me
Look for a confirmation email in your inbox shortly. We'll help find you a provider and guide you through everything you should know about starting care at Thriveworks.
No membership fees or subscriptions
Evening and weekend sessions
Award-winning therapy & psychiatry
What support are you seeking?
You acknowledge that by submitting this form, you are providing what may be considered “sensitive data” and consent to Thriveworks Privacy Policy & Terms. By submitting this information, you consent to receive communication from Thriveworks about our services via automatic calls, artificial or pre-recorded messages, or texts at the phone number provided, or by email at the address provided. You have the option to opt out of communications.
We will contact you with availability updates based on the preferences you provided for up to six months.
One go-to approach that is often used in family therapy is structural family therapy. Structural family therapy helps members within a family learn about the structure and inner workings of the family itself, as a whole made up of interworking parts. From this perspective, families are made up of individuals who have their own roles within the system, and their own connections to each of the other individuals. This approach can be particularly useful for families dealing with transitional periods where roles and responsibilities may be changing, such as a new child entering the family, or a teenager becoming an adult and trying to launch/become independent.
An important part of getting started in structural family therapy involves looking at a family's history and doing activities such as mapping using a genogram, where the greater family tree/history is visualized through the use of descriptive connections in the relationships between members. Another activity that may often be utilized is enactment, a kind of role-play where the therapist can guide the family through discussions or activities and help the family sculpt healthier interactions and expectations through teaching/practicing different approaches and communication strategies.
Some indications of meaningful progress in family therapy include improved communication/interactions, improved moods among family members, doing more enjoyable things together outside of sessions, and being more self-directed in sessions (needing less guidance/intervening from the therapist).
In family therapy, a therapist may often assign session homework, so earnestly working on session homework and practicing things from sessions outside of sessions are two very important parts of working towards progress. Another thing that can be useful in between sessions is to journal about specific family interactions that come up and reflect on them after the fact, describing/analyzing them by utilizing concepts learned in sessions.
To prepare for family therapy, it can be helpful to write out your concerns, your observations of dynamics/patterns/etc., questions you have about therapy/the therapist, and what you want to achieve by doing 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.
Thriveworks family therapists in Henrico, 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.
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 Henrico, VA 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.
Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy
Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management
Shown in ET
Call us to book
Our team is happy to help you schedule your first session.
Book online
Find the right provider for you. Book your session online yourself in just a few easy steps.