Not necessarily. While most sessions include the people most central to the concern, the structure is flexible. Your therapist may start with certain members, bring in others over time or schedule individual check-ins alongside joint sessions. What matters is making the process workable for your family.

Family therapy can still begin with whoever is willing. Change introduced by one part of a family system often ripples outward. As progress becomes visible, reluctant members sometimes find it easier to join. If not, therapy still helps the attending members navigate the relationship more effectively.

Individual therapy focuses on one person's inner world, while family therapy treats the relationships and dynamics between people as the primary focus. The therapist does not take sides. Instead, they help the family understand the patterns keeping them stuck and find more constructive ways to relate. Both forms of therapy can run alongside each other when needed.

It depends on the concern. Some families come in with a specific parent-child dynamic to work on, in which case the child is part of the process. Other families work through adult dynamics first before including younger members. Your therapist will discuss the best structure with you in the first session.

Yes. All sessions are confidential. The only exceptions are situations where there is a risk to safety, which your therapist will explain clearly at the start. Within the family itself, your therapist may sometimes speak with members individually, and those conversations are held in confidence unless there is a specific reason to share them with the group.

It varies. Some families see meaningful progress in six to eight sessions. Others work through deeper, longer-standing issues over a longer period. Your therapist will review progress with you regularly and adjust the structure as needed. There is no fixed endpoint, and you are never pushed to continue beyond what feels useful.

Yes. Online family therapy is available and effective. Members can join from different locations, making it much easier for families spread across cities or countries. In-person sessions are available at our Chennai centre for those who prefer it, and you can move between both formats as your situation changes.

All kinds. Nuclear, joint, single-parent, blended, step-families, chosen families, intercultural families and LGBTQ+ families. Family therapy at TLHC is inclusive by design. Every family has its own structure, and our therapists are trained to work with that complexity without assumptions. Contact admin@thelovehopecompany.com for more information.