Family therapy · Ages 12–17

Family therapy for teens — healing the whole system

Family therapy for California adolescents and caregivers — built into IOP and outpatient when clinically appropriate. Improve communication, reduce conflict, and support teen treatment goals at home.

  • Joint Commission accredited
  • In-network insurance
  • CBT & DBT
  • California telehealth

Mental Health For Teens · Portal

Starting soon

DBT Skills Group

4:00 PM · 90 min · Dr. Solis

EJMAK+2

7 participants joining

Next: Individual therapy

5:45 PM · with Dr. Solis

Care team message

“Great work on the grounding exercise — try it before tonight's session.”

Interactive preview · not real patient data

12–17

ages served

Virtual

care across CA

CBT · DBT

evidence-based care

Free

consultation

★ Joint Commission AccreditedIn-network with major insuranceCBT · DBT · Family therapyAvailable across CaliforniaFree, confidential consultations
Family therapy

Family therapy positioned inside teen treatment — not instead of it

Teen mental health improves faster when families change patterns together. Family therapy sessions include caregivers (and siblings when relevant) with clear clinical goals. Parents often initiate care — family therapy is part of IOP or outpatient when appropriate, while teen individual and group work continues in parallel. Group, family, individual, and parent coaching are core parts of our virtual IOP and outpatient programs — not sold as standalone drop-in sessions disconnected from clinical care.

  • Licensed clinicians specializing in adolescents
  • CBT, DBT, and trauma-informed group therapy
  • Family therapy and parent coaching built in
  • Psychiatry available when clinically indicated
  • Insurance verification before enrollment
  • Free, confidential consultation to assess fit

See parent coaching for caregiver-focused sessions without the teen present.

Free consultation
Family therapy session with teen and parents on secure video
Family + teen care

Teen therapy and family therapy together

Family therapy supports teen treatment — it doesn't replace individual teen therapy. IOP typically includes weekly family sessions; outpatient adds them when indicated.

Family modalities

How family therapy works in our programs

Group, family, individual, and parent coaching are core parts of our virtual IOP and outpatient programs — not sold as standalone drop-in sessions disconnected from clinical care.

Family therapy sessionsParent coaching

Teen + caregivers

Family therapy sessions

Structured sessions addressing communication, conflict, boundaries, and reinforcement of therapeutic skills at home.

Caregiver skill-building

Parent coaching

Parent-focused coaching complements family sessions — see our parent coaching page for caregiver-only work.

Family session cadence

How often families meet with clinicians

IOP: typically weekly family therapy. OP: family sessions added based on clinical need.

IOP

~Weekly family session

Plus parent coaching when needed

Outpatient

As indicated

Often biweekly or monthly

Format

Secure video

Some caregivers join from separate locations

Family therapy requires teen program enrollment — not standalone family-only packages.

Weekly rhythm

Flexible scheduling around school

Your teen's exact schedule is built at intake based on clinical needs and availability.

Typical cadence

1–3 sessions / week

Session length

50–60 minutes

Format

Secure telehealth

Session days

Tuesday & Thursday

  • After-school telehealth

    Individual, family, or group — based on your care plan

    1–3× / week
  • Skills homework

    Optional between-session practice when clinically helpful

    Practice

School · activities · rest

Other days

  • Monday, Wednesday, Friday

    Full school day and normal activities without clinical blocks

    School
  • Weekend

    Rest and family time; optional skill practice from the week

    Rest

Personalized at intake

Personalized at intake

Exact days and times are confirmed after your free consultation based on clinical needs.

What families ask

  • Most families start with one to two sessions weekly and adjust as symptoms improve.
  • The same clinician follows your teen for continuity — not a rotating schedule.
  • Step-down from IOP often means fewer groups and more individual focus.

Schedules adjust as teens step down or need more support.

Why family therapy works

Healing the whole family system

Better communication

Families learn scripts for tough conversations and de-escalation.

Aligned caregivers

Co-parents and blended families work toward consistent responses.

Skills at home

Therapeutic skills reinforced where teens spend most time.

Safer home environment

Crisis planning includes family systems — not teen in isolation.

Family therapy fit

Families who benefit from teen-focused family therapy

Family therapy helps when home dynamics maintain or worsen teen symptoms — and caregivers are willing to participate.

Often a good fit for IOP

Families with conflict, communication breakdown, or escalation cycles

Parents motivated to change responses — not only 'fix the teen'

Teens enrolled in IOP or OP with parallel individual work

Blended families or co-parents needing aligned strategies

Not the right level

Families seeking family therapy without any teen treatment — teen therapy remains primary

Active domestic violence contexts requiring specialized referral

Situations where teen safety requires higher level of care first

Family-inclusive care

Programs with family therapy vs teen-only outpatient

Family therapy included in program versus add-on family sessions billed separately elsewhere.

Weekly therapy

Private-pay

Virtual IOP

In-network

Family sessions

Optional add-on

Built into IOP

Teen individual work

Disconnected

Coordinated same team

Parent coaching

Rare

Available in program

Communication tools

Generic

Matched to teen's treatment plan

Insurance

Separate billing

Part of program authorization

Discharge planning

Teen-only

Whole-family transition plan

Virtual access

In-person drive

Family joins from home

Getting started

From first call to first session

Most families move from first call to first session within days — not weeks of waiting.

Free consultation

A confidential call to understand your teen and answer every question — no pressure.

Clinical assessment

A licensed clinician evaluates safety, functioning, and the right level of care — including insurance authorization support.

Personalized care plan

We match the right level of care and verify your insurance benefits for you.

Start with family-inclusive care

Begin within days — secure video sessions from the comfort of home.

Insurance & admissions

We verify benefits before your teen starts — no surprise bills

Our admissions team handles authorization and explains estimated out-of-pocket costs in plain language before enrollment.

In-network with major California plans

Authorization support included

Transparent cost conversation before day one

Superbill assistance for out-of-network cases when applicable

In-network carriers include

Aetna
Cigna
Optum
Blue Shield of CA
Magellan
+ more

Don't see your plan? We also support out-of-network cases with superbills — we'll explain options during your free consultation.

Family stories

What parents say about virtual care

I didn't have to miss work or pull her out of school. Care just fit into our lives — and she finally started talking again.

— Parent of a 15-year-old · North County
FAQ

Common questions

Yes. IOP typically includes weekly family therapy or parent coaching when clinically appropriate — alongside teen individual and group work.

Our family work supports teen treatment within IOP or outpatient. Teen individual therapy remains the clinical anchor.

We accommodate schedules and co-parenting arrangements. Sessions can include whichever caregivers are appropriate clinically.

Many families prefer video — caregivers join from work or separate homes. Clinicians facilitate structure and safety online.

Family therapy includes the teen. Parent coaching is caregiver-only skill building — both may be part of a treatment plan.

Prefer to talk with someone?

Consultations are free and confidential.

Explore family therapy in teen treatment

Book a free consultation to discuss family-inclusive IOP or outpatient for your teen.