Family Therapy in Porter Ranch
Family Therapy in Porter Ranch with Julie Klamon, LMFT
Most families do not fall apart over one big thing. They wear down slowly: the same argument on repeat, a teenager who has gone silent, two parents who disagree about how to handle it, a household where everyone is walking on eggshells. By the time families reach out to me, they are usually tired of the tension and unsure how to break the cycle on their own. Family therapy gives you a place to do that, with someone whose job is to help all of you, not to take sides.
As a licensed marriage and family therapist with more than 20 years of experience, I help families work through conflict, communication breakdowns, parenting differences, sibling relationships, blended-family dynamics, and the strain of transitions like divorce. The aim is not a perfect family. It is a family that can handle hard things together without coming apart.
My office is in Agoura Hills, about 35 to 40 minutes from Porter Ranch by way of the 118 and the 101. In-person sessions are available there, and virtual sessions are also available across California.
What I Help Families Work Through
Families come to me for a wide range of reasons. Often it is more than one of these at once:
Parenting differences
Sibling relationships
Blended families
Family communication
Ongoing conflict
Life transitions
Grief and loss
Extended family dynamics
Divorce and separation
Co-parenting
Family Therapy for the Porter Ranch Community
Family life moves fast. Between school, sports, activities, and parents who are often stretched between work and long commutes, there is not always room to slow down and deal with what is happening under the surface. Small tensions get pushed aside until they become patterns. Therapy creates the protected time that a packed family calendar rarely allows.
Many of the families I see are doing well by every outside measure and still struggling at home, which can be confusing and isolating. A strong household is not one without conflict. It is one that knows how to repair after conflict. That is much of what we build in family therapy: the skills to disagree, recover, and stay connected.
Family Therapy and Divorce
Divorce reshapes a family, and children feel it even when parents try to protect them. Kids often feel confused, angry, or somehow responsible. In family sessions I help children understand that the divorce is not their fault, process their emotions in healthy ways, and learn coping skills for the changes in their family structure.
I also work with parents on building a workable co-parenting relationship: clearer communication, lower conflict, and consistency across two households. When parents can function as a team around their children's needs, kids feel more secure and the impact of the divorce on their wellbeing is far smaller. If co-parenting is your main concern, you can also read my dedicated co-parenting therapy page.
Who I Work With
Children (8+)
Teens
Parents
Whole Families
Frequently Asked Questions About Family Therapy in Porter Ranch
What is family therapy and how does it work?
Family therapy is a form of treatment that brings family members together to identify and resolve conflict, improve communication, and strengthen relationships. It can involve the whole family or smaller groups, and sessions blend discussion, problem-solving, and skill-building. My role is to help the family understand and address the underlying issues driving the problems at home.
What kinds of issues does family therapy help with?
A wide range, including communication problems, ongoing conflict, parenting challenges, behavioral problems in children, mental health concerns, and crises such as divorce or the loss of a loved one. If something is straining the household and the usual fixes are not working, family therapy is often a good fit.
Can children and teenagers take part in family therapy?
Yes. Children and teens often benefit from a safe space to express what they are feeling, and their voice matters in how the family moves forward. I use age-appropriate techniques so younger kids and teens can take part in a way that fits them, rather than feeling talked about or talked over.
Does the whole family have to come to every session?
Not always. Some of the work happens with everyone in the room, and some happens with smaller groups, like the parents together or one parent and a child. With busy family schedules, I keep things flexible and tailor who attends to what we are working on at the time.
How far is your office from Porter Ranch?
My Agoura Hills office is about 35 to 40 minutes from Porter Ranch via the 118 and the 101. In-person sessions are available there, and virtual sessions across California are also an option for families who prefer it.
In-Person and Virtual Family Therapy Near Porter Ranch
My office in Agoura Hills, CA 91301 offers in-person family therapy for families in and around Porter Ranch, including Northridge, CA, Granada Hills, CA, Chatsworth, CA, and the wider northwest San Fernando Valley. Virtual sessions are also available to families located within California.
If the tension at home has worn everyone down and you want a better way forward, I can help. Schedule a free phone consultation and we can talk about what your family is dealing with and whether therapy makes sense.