Family Therapy
Every Family Needs Support
At Sage House therapy we know all families face challenges. Family changes, divorce and separation as well as sibling dynamics, parent-child relationships can all contribute to conflict and disconnection, even for the most resilient families. As a parent you may feel overwhelmed and uncertain how best get support your children and yourself during these challenging times. We are here to be your village, support your family, and bring enjoyment and peace back to your family life.
Let Us Be Your Village
We know having a family is not always easy and no one can do it alone. As the saying goes, it really does take a village! Sage House invites you to let us be part of your family’s village. We view you as the expert on your child and family. Throughout our work we will be looking to partner with each member of your family to better understand what is working and what is not. Oftentimes it is hard to see family dynamics clearly from within the family system. This is where our experienced, knowledgeable therapists come in. They offer a unique and trained eye to more clearly identify and address the root issues and map out an effective path forward towards lasting change. We work compassionately with your family to listen to your concerns and offer insight and support around communication, emotional expression and conflict resolution. We also provide resources, workshops, and additional supports outside of the family therapy sessions to give each member of your family the necessary tools to create lasting, positive change.
All Are Welcome
Our practice is welcoming of all families. This includes, but is not limited to same gender, non-binary and/or transgender parents, single parents, divorced parents, grandparents who are the primary caregivers, and foster parents. Our therapists are also trained to provide family support to families with children on the Autism Spectrum and with other Sensory Processing Disorders. Our clinicians are experienced with working with all kinds of families and are knowledgeable about the unique attributes, strengths, and challenges each family structure brings. We also provide resources and workshops in the community that allows parents to connect and learn from one another. Our participants report feeling supported and less alone when they realize many other parents are also struggling with the same challenges.
Art Therapy Can Enhance Family Therapy
While we used traditional counseling (talk therapy) in all Family Therapy sessions, depending on our preference and your clinician’s specialty and training, we also have the ability to incorporate Art Therapy, Sandtray Therapy and Play Therapy into therapy sessions. Our trained Art Therapists and can effectively and safely use art therapy in Family Therapy sessions to more quickly and effectively illuminate unspoken family dynamics and patterns, which talk therapy can sometimes not as easily access. Incorporating Art Therapy and Play Therapy into Family therapy also allows a range of ages and developmental levels to effectively communicate feelings and experiences. This is especially helpful for families with young children, children with sensory process or autism spectrum disorders or individuals who are less verbally communicative with in the family system. Art and Play Therapies also allows more families to enjoy family therapy more because it is fun! Oftentimes defenses come down when families make art and play together allowing for more open, genuine conversations, connection and expression of feelings. In the presence of our trained Art Therapists, Family Therapy sessions provide a safe, effective place a growth and change for all members of the family.
Interested in Parent Coaching?
For some families we recommend pairing Parent Coaching with Family Therapy to provide more targeted support to caregivers between Family Therapy Sessions. Our Parent Coaching program is open to all caregivers and begins with a meeting with one of our child and family therapy clinicians. Together, we will gather essential information about areas of concern as well as areas in which parenting is going well. By collectively building a comprehensive understanding of the family challenges and what is working and isn’t working as a parent, we provide you with a detailed plan of action. We also discuss expectations with parents for how and when change might occur based on our recommendations. As parents implement new techniques, we continue to closely monitor and track progress. As we track improvements, we build on what we have learned and provide additional resources to parents, empowering them to continue to integrate effective tools and evidence-based interventions. We believe that you can be an effective parent with the right tools and support and that positive change is possible from day one. To set up a complimentary consultation with a member of our clinical team please click here.
We also offer Parent Workshops throughout the year. To learn more about our workshops please visit our Group Therapy page.
Meet Our Family Therapist
Kirsten Ashey
MA, ATR, Resident in Counseling
Kirsten is an Registered Art Therapist and Resident in Counseling who works with children and teens ages 3+. Her expertise includes trauma/PTSD, relationship challenges and life changes, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Sensory Processing Disorders, and grief/loss. She incorporates art, play and sand tray therapies into her sessions. She currently provides in-person therapy. Kirsten is an in-network provider with AnthemBCBS and an out of network providers for most other insurance companies.
