Family Therapy

Following family therapy: “Almost 90% of people report an improvement in their emotional health … In child-parent cases, about 73% of parents report that their child’s behavior improved.”
— Cleveland Clinic

Rebuild, restore, reconnect

At Sophrosyne Counseling Services in Erie, Pennsylvania, we aim to improve your unique family dynamic, setting a strong foundation for your collective well-being. Whether you need to re-establish family roles, open up channels of communication, or confront past trauma, our team is here to guide you toward rewarding relationships. We are happy to serve LGBTQ+ families and multicultural families.

Our approach: Structural Family Therapy

Structural Family Therapy (SFT) is an evidence-based approach that helps diagnose and address the imbalances within your family structure. This model helps identify each individual’s contributions to the family dynamic and can support re-establishing parental roles, improving communication, and clarifying expectations. We may use this approach as our “gold standard,” but every family has unique challenges and every treatment plan will be a little different.

What to expect in family therapy

Each family has its own story, history, and goals. Your treatment plan will be tailored to meet those unique and ever-changing needs. We’ll start with the immediate family, but if your extended family is heavily involved in your life (Ex: child care), they’re likely critical to a healthy family dynamic.

Through family therapy, we can help you understand and navigate the following:

• Determining family strengths: Let’s not solely focus on the negatives. We must also determine present strengths in your family, along with how these positives can be maintained.

• Diagnosing structural imbalances: We’ll assess where there may be poor boundaries, confusing family roles, or missed opportunities for productive communication. We may use visual tools like a Venn diagram to map out those roles and discuss needed changes. In regard to boundaries, we often need to re-establish parents at the head of the family unit to foster stability and predictability. When appropriate, we’ll need to address where grandparents or other caretakers fit into your children’s lives.

• Creating an ideal family structure: An ideal family structure includes clear, productive roles for all members, empowering parents to lead and children to thrive without feeling undue pressure or responsibility within the household.

Do you offer virtual therapy?

Absolutely. We do not limit our therapy professionals to the Northwest Pennsylvania region. In our online family therapy options, you will receive the same safe and confidential space as in-person clients, along with the same ACA ethical standards and HIPAA compliance. We have serviced virtual therapy clients as far as Michigan and South Carolina.

Meet our family specialists

Carly Frank is a therapist that has expertise in family therapy and family conflict. She takes a non-judgmental and solution-focused approach to counseling. She has served the Erie region since 2014, and she obtained degrees at Suffolk University and Edinboro University. Conor Dawley has worked in Erie as a child and family therapy specialist since 2004. He received his bachelor’s degree from Geneva College and a master’s in community counseling from Gannon University. Meet them, along with the rest of our Erie, PA counseling professionals.

Therapy insurance options

We can accept Commercial UPMC, Commercial Highmark*, Optum, Aetna, UMR, United Healthcare, and most EAPs.

Please check with your healthcare provider to see what mental health services are covered. If you do not live in Pennsylvania and want to set up online therapy, please check with your health care plan regarding any limitations.

*Most variations of Highmark include coverage; please reach out to verify if your plan is included.

Ready to start your journey?

When your family is ready to book your first appointment, we’re here to support you.