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Sequoia Family Therapy

Family Therapy

Immigrant Families

Immigrant families often live between two worlds. Parents may hold on to the language and values of home, while children grow up speaking English at school and absorbing a different culture. Kids may end up translating for their parents or taking on adult responsibilities early.

These differences can lead to misunderstandings and conflict: parents feeling disrespected or left behind, children feeling misunderstood or pressured. Underneath, there is usually a lot of love, and a lot of stress from starting over.

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What it can look like

  • Parents and children disagree about rules, dating, school, or independence
  • A language gap makes deeper conversations hard
  • Children translating for parents or taking on adult roles
  • Grief over family, places, or traditions left behind
  • Stress about work, money, or immigration status affecting the household
  • Teens pulling away from the family’s culture, or feeling torn between two

How we work on it

In family work, parents are the most important resource in the room. Rather than trying to fix a child, we help parents become the steady caregivers their children need, especially in hard moments.

We also give children words for what’s happening inside them. Kids often show distress through behavior because they don’t yet have language for worry, sadness, or feeling left out. When they can name it, parents can respond to the need and not only the behavior.

Then we support parents in responding: staying calm, setting limits with warmth, and repairing after conflict. Sessions may include the whole family, parents on their own, or a mix, depending on what helps most.

Sessions can move between Spanish and English as needed, so every family member can speak in the language that feels most natural.

Approaches we use

  • Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
  • Systemic family therapy

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Wondering if this fits what you’re going through?

A free 15-minute consultation is a good place to ask. We’ll talk about what’s going on and whether we’re a good fit.

Book your free 15-min consultation