Our Approach to Therapy
Therapy is a big commitment, financially, emotionally, and in terms of your time. We believe you deserve all the information you need to make the best choice for your family. At Empower Family Therapy, we help you begin your journey toward lasting change in an environment where authenticity, flexibility, and empowerment meet.
Whether you’re seeking family therapy in Chicago or Oak Park, virtual sessions across Illinois or Florida, or a hybrid approach, our goal is the same: to provide effective, personalized care that fits your life and strengthens your relationships.
Diverse Therapy models
Relational vs. Individual Therapy:
At Empower Family Therapy, we offer both relational therapy (couple and family therapy) and individual therapy. Our relational therapists focus on family systems, patterns, and dynamics, recognizing that people are deeply connected to and impacted by the systems they belong to: families, work teams, cultural groups, and communities.
While individual therapy often focuses on immediate, personal concerns, relational therapy looks at the bigger picture, exploring how patterns, communication styles, and roles developed over time and how they affect your current challenges.
Our therapists are trained to identify and address relational dynamics, helping families and couples shift unhelpful patterns and create healthier ways of interacting. Family therapy sessions often include multiple members to foster a deeper understanding of the entire system at play
Systemic Therapy
Systemic family therapy explores the interconnected systems shaping your life. We consider the influence of age, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, culture, and lived experience, helping you navigate these dynamics in a way that promotes growth and well-being.
Our approach focuses on breaking cycles that keep individuals and families feeling stuck, replacing them with new patterns that support long-term change.
The Fish Bowl Analogy: Think of a fish living in a dirty bowl. Cleaning the fish won’t help unless the water changes too. In the same way, we work on improving the entire family environment, not just the individual, so everyone has a better chance to thrive.
Skills-Based Therapy
At Empower Family Therapy, we believe therapy should leave you with practical tools, not just insight. While we value emotional expression and processing, our sessions are also about equipping you with coping skills, communication techniques, and problem-solving strategies you can use immediately in daily life.
Culturaly-informed Therapy
We embrace diversity and understand the profound impact of culture on a person’s worldview. Our culturally informed therapy integrates your cultural background and lived experience into treatment, ensuring care that is respectful, inclusive, and identity-affirming, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, ability, or class.
Flexibility
We understand that therapy needs to work with your life, not against it. That’s why we offer:
Virtual Therapy in Illinois & Florida – Secure, HIPAA-compliant video sessions so you can connect from the comfort of your home.
In-Person Therapy in Chicago & Oak Park – Warm, welcoming spaces designed with families in mind.
Hybrid Scheduling – A mix of virtual and in-person sessions for maximum flexibility.
Flexible Scheduling
We offer daytime, after-school, evening, and weekend appointments to accommodate busy schedules.
VIRTUAL THERAPY
Virtual therapy has become an integral part of our services, providing a secure and accessible way to connect with our therapists. This option ensures continuity in treatment, allowing you to engage in therapy from the comfort of your own home. Our therapists are well-equipped to offer virtual sessions, maintaining the same level of professionalism, support, and effectiveness as in-person sessions.
IN-PERSON THERAPY
For those who prefer face-to-face interactions, our office-based therapy option is available at our Oak Park and Chicago locations. Our welcoming and comfortable office space provides a supportive environment for meaningful therapeutic work. In-person sessions allow for a more personal connection, fostering a sense of safety and trust between you and your therapist.
HYBRID SCHEDULING
Understanding the demands of busy lives, we embrace a hybrid approach. Many of our clients appreciate the flexibility of combining virtual and in-person sessions to create a schedule that suits their needs. This hybrid scheduling option ensures consistency in treatment, accommodating unforeseen challenges that may arise.
Family-Specialized Services
We are more than family-friendly, we are family-specialized. Our therapists have advanced training in family therapy models, child development, and systemic approaches, allowing us to navigate complex family dynamics with skill and sensitivity.
Our offices are designed for all ages, making them comfortable and engaging for children and teens. Whether working with parents, siblings, or extended family members, we aim to create a safe and supportive space where every voice can be heard.
Confidentiality
Your trust is essential. Everything you share in therapy is confidential, except in cases involving harm, abuse, or neglect. We review our confidentiality policy in detail during your first session so you know exactly how your information is protected.