Family Therapy

Family life isn’t always easy. Relationships between parents, siblings, and extended family members can be complicated. Misunderstandings build up. Tensions rise. Communication falls apart. At Relationship Academy MI, we help families reconnect, repair trust, and find better ways to relate to one another.

Our office is located in Royal Oak, MI, but we also offer virtual family therapy sessions to households across Michigan. Whether your family lives under the same roof or across cities, we can help you work through issues together.

What Is Family Therapy?

Family therapy is a collaborative process where multiple members of a family meet with a licensed therapist to address challenges affecting the family system. That might include conflict, grief, mental health concerns, parenting struggles, or simply a sense that something isn’t working anymore.

Unlike individual therapy, family therapy looks at how each person’s behavior, communication style, and emotional patterns impact the whole group. Everyone gets a voice. Everyone has a role. And no one is singled out or blamed.

Why Families Start Therapy

Every family is different, and so are the reasons they come to therapy. Some are facing a specific crisis. Others want help improving daily communication or navigating long-standing tension.

Common reasons families seek support include:

• Frequent arguments or rising conflict
• Parent-child communication issues
• Adjusting to separation, divorce, or blended family dynamics
• Coping with grief, trauma, or illness
• Concerns about a child’s behavior or mental health
• Sibling rivalry or disconnection
• Feeling emotionally distant or misunderstood
• Struggling with boundaries or roles in the household

Whether you’re a family of two or ten, therapy can help create more understanding and less conflict.

What to Expect in Family Therapy

Family therapy sessions are designed to be safe and productive. In your first session, your therapist will talk with everyone present about what’s been happening and what you hope to improve.

From there, sessions may focus on:

• Improving how family members listen and speak to one another
• Understanding emotional triggers and reactions
• Working through unresolved hurt or misunderstandings
• Exploring how past experiences influence current family dynamics
• Strengthening trust, respect, and support
• Clarifying expectations and roles within the family

Your therapist helps guide the conversation, keeping it from becoming overwhelming or unproductive. It’s not about who’s right or wrong. It’s about working together to move forward.

Virtual Family Therapy Across Michigan

Not all families live in the same household or have the same availability. That’s why we offer virtual family therapy to anyone throughout Michigan.

Online sessions allow:

• Families with teens or adult children living away from home to participate
• Co-parents in different households to meet together
• Busy families to attend without needing to coordinate transportation

Sessions take place on a secure, confidential platform that works on most devices. As long as each participant is located in Michigan, we can meet virtually and support you just as effectively as in person.

In-Person Family Therapy in Royal Oak

If your family lives nearby and prefers face-to-face sessions, we offer in-person family therapy at our welcoming office in Royal Oak. The environment is comfortable, calm, and designed to make everyone, teens, kids, and adults, feel at ease.

Whether you choose in-person or virtual sessions, our goal is the same. We want your family to have the space to slow down, speak honestly, and work through tough topics in a healthy way.

Who Is Family Therapy For?

Family therapy is open to any group of people who consider themselves a family. That includes traditional nuclear families, single-parent households, blended families, extended families, and chosen families.

We work with:

• Parents and children of all ages
• Families adjusting to adoption or foster care
• Grandparents, guardians, or other caregivers
• Adult siblings navigating conflict or caregiving roles
• LGBTQ+ families
• Multigenerational households
• Co-parents navigating custody or decision-making

You do not need to be in crisis. You just need a shared willingness to explore what could be better.

Our Approach to Family Therapy

We use a family systems lens, which means we view each person as part of a larger relational pattern. Instead of assigning blame, we look at how everyone affects and is affected by the dynamic.

Your therapist may use techniques from:

• Structural family therapy to identify and shift roles or boundaries
• Emotionally focused family therapy to strengthen emotional bonds
• Narrative therapy to help reframe the stories you tell about each other
• Collaborative problem solving to create solutions that everyone can support

Our work is tailored to your family’s unique structure, history, and goals.

When Family Therapy Feels Difficult

Not every session feels easy. That’s normal. Family therapy brings up real emotions, and sometimes people feel hesitant, defensive, or unsure.

Your therapist will create space for everyone to feel safe, even when things get uncomfortable. We don’t force anyone to talk, and we don’t allow anyone to dominate the conversation. Respect and boundaries are part of the process.

How Long Does Family Therapy Last?

There’s no one answer. Some families come for a handful of sessions to work through a specific issue. Others choose to continue longer as deeper topics come up.

The length and frequency of sessions depend on:

• Your goals as a family
• The number of participants
• The nature of what you’re working on
• How comfortable everyone feels with the process

You can always adjust your schedule or pause therapy as needed. It’s your journey.

FAQ: Family Therapy at Relationship Academy MI

How many family members can attend?

There is no set limit. We typically meet with all members involved in the concern, whether that’s two people or more. We’ll help you decide who should attend.

Can we do both family and individual therapy?

Yes. Some families benefit from a combination of individual and family sessions. We can help you determine the best plan.

Do you offer virtual sessions for families in Michigan?

Yes. As long as all participants are in Michigan, we can meet online.

Will we meet all together or separately?

We usually begin with joint sessions, but your therapist may suggest occasional one-on-one check-ins to support the overall process.

Can you help with parenting disagreements?

Absolutely. We work with co-parents who want to improve how they communicate and make decisions for their children.

Family Therapy in Michigan. Let’s Find a New Way Forward

Family dynamics can be complicated, but change is possible. If your home feels tense, disconnected, or just not the way it used to be, therapy can help you work through those barriers together.

At Relationship Academy MI, we support families across Michigan with thoughtful, flexible, and compassionate care. Whether you meet with us in person in Royal Oak or online from anywhere in the state, we’re here to help.

Reach out to get started. A healthier family connection might be closer than you think.