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Family Support

When one child in your family struggles, the whole family feels it. To best help the child, we aim to support the entire family to maximize outcome by reducing family conflict and stress. Through individual psychotherapy, couple/family therapy, caregiver training, and support groups, we are able to tailor the level of support to different family members and their unique needs.

 

If you are unsure of the type of support that would be most beneficial, we will begin with an intake in which we learn more ​about how each family member responds to current challenges and where they may struggle. Working in partnership with the family, we will develop a plan for family support and identify a therapist or a combination of therapists who can best provide those services. ​

Our family support is offered via telehealth or in our office in Edison, New Jersey.

Types of Family Support

Individual Therapy

Caregiver Training

Couple and Family Therapy

Family Social Support

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Individual Therapy

Caregivers of children or youth experiencing mental health or behavioral challenges at home or school may experience a vast range of complicated emotions, including grief, anger, and guilt. Some of these emotions become so difficult to manage that they can impact parent well-being or create conflicts at home. We offer individual therapy to help family members cope with the distressing feelings they experience. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has been demonstrated in research to reduce distress among parents. Using ACT principles, we help you learn to do the following:

  • Notice the situations and thoughts that cause you distress

  • Allow those thoughts and emotions without fighting them or feeling badly for having them

  • Center yourself in the present moment to focus on yourself and your family in the here-and-now

  • Identify your values as a parent, sibling, or individual, and your goals for yourself and your family

  • Move toward those goals and values even when faced with difficult thoughts and emotions

Couple and Family Therapy

It is not uncommon for families to experience strain and conflict, especially when parents are concerned about a child and trying to find next steps. For example, when raising a child with autism, research suggests that couples experience more stress and reduced relationship satisfaction. Parents of teenagers or young adults may struggle to communicate effectively and build positive experiences, while teens or young adults may feel unvalidated and unsupported by the family. Incorporating effective couple and family based interventions into a broader treatment plan, clinicians at North Star will help you:

 

  • Assess individual, couple, and family patterns and dynamics

  • Explore the impact of grief

  • Manage anger, conflict, and communication between parents

  • Improve relationships within the family

Caregiver Training

Caregivers are central to the support that we provide at North Star. We consider caregiver training vitally important to the work that we do with all children, and include it in our treatment plans. Expect to regularly participate in your child's treatment at North Star as we strive to work as a team to best support your child. Some ways you might participate include: 

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  • Collaborating with the clinician on goal development

  • Identifying clinician strategies that are best-fit to your family

  • Practicing new parenting skills during sessions with your child

  • Collecting information about what you observe of your child at home

  • Trying out new parenting approaches at home and sharing the results with the clinician

Family Social Support

Connecting family members with others who have had similar experiences is beneficial for their mental well being. We regularly offer meet-ups and structured psychoeducation or therapy groups for parents and siblings, allowing time for family members to share their experiences with others who understand. In addition to the benefits of the treatment or psychoeducation provided, some benefits of group support include: 

  • Hearing about the experiences of others who have lives similar to your own

  • Learning about approaches that work well for other family members

  • Receiving validation for your own thoughts, emotions, and experiences

  • Feeling as though you have a community that supports you

Frequently Asked Questions

North Star Family Autism Center

811 Amboy Avenue, Suite B

Edison, New Jersey 08837

732-301-4704

© 2021-2026 by North Star Family and Child Psychology,

a trade name of North Star Family Autism Center, LLC

All rights reserved

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