Clinician’s View: Family Therapy

October 16, 2025

Partnership across Green Chimneys programs ensures a holistic approach to therapeutic support, and expands the services available to individual students and their families. Now, a coordinated effort between our Social Work Team and our Community-Based Services (CBS) has added targeted family therapy to the array of intervention options for residential students. 

The family and home life challenges our residential students face are an important part of their treatment plan. Relationship difficulties or the inability to follow family rules and expectations has a tremendous impact on a child’s emotional regulation, confidence, and feeling of belonging in their own home. For some students, bridging their individual therapeutic support with separate family work enables a more comprehensive and productive approach to addressing core issues and building necessary skills.

How is Family Therapy Helpful?

According to CBS family therapist Hannah Roche, learning communication and emotional regulation skills is vital in creating positive family dynamics and relationships. “Family therapy allows each member’s strengths, interests, and opinions to be valued and heard,” explains Hannah. “Therefore, individualizing that treatment allows for family members to feel empowered to reach the goals that are meaningful to their success, such as family game nights, community outings, or vacations.”

“As a treatment community, we are excited and eager to offer enhanced clinical supports and options,” says Vice President of Social Services Jenna Eckna. “This comprehensive approach helps children and families become the most successful versions of themselves. Joining together serves to enhance overall family functioning, support positive home visits, and equip families with the tools necessary for youth to experience a smooth reintegration into their home and school community.”

This expanded treatment team is even better able to look at the resources, strengths and desires of the individual student, as well as the collective family unit, allowing that to help guide the intervention process, which in turn, yields empowerment, determination, and achievement of goals. Learn more about Green Chimneys’ therapeutic services for residential students