Troy Benallie
LMFT · Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
- Kaysville
- Telehealth in Utah
- Anxiety
- Depression
- ADHD
Family therapy in Utah
When home feels tense or distant, family therapy gives everyone a place to be heard. We help parents, children, teens, and extended family communicate more clearly, work through conflict, and feel closer.
- Licensed marriage and family therapists
- In person at five offices, or by telehealth anywhere in Utah
- Evening and Saturday appointments at select offices
What is family therapy?
Family therapy is talk therapy that works with a family as a whole, rather than one person alone. A therapist helps family members understand each other, change the patterns that keep conflict going, and build skills for communicating and solving problems together.
Families are connected. What happens to one person ripples through everyone else. A teenager's anxiety changes the mood at dinner. A divorce rearranges routines, loyalties, and roles. A loss can leave each person grieving in their own way, and sometimes alone.
Family therapy looks at those connections. Instead of asking “who's the problem?”, it asks “what's happening between us, and what would help?” Nobody is put on trial. The goal is for everyone to feel understood, and for the family to find ways of relating that work better for all of you.
That doesn't mean everyone has to be in the room every time. Your therapist may meet with the whole family, with parents on their own, with siblings, or with one person for part of a session, depending on what will help most.
Signs your family could use support
Every family goes through hard seasons. You don't need to wait for a crisis. Family therapy can help when:
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Arguments go in circles
The same fights keep repeating, or small disagreements turn into big ones.
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Communication or trust has broken down
People avoid each other, shut down, or feel unheard, or something has damaged trust.
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A child or teen is struggling
Anxiety, low mood, behavior changes, trouble at school, or pulling away from the family.
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Divorce, separation, or co-parenting
Helping kids adjust, and helping parents work together across two homes.
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Blending a family
New partners, stepparents, and stepsiblings learning to live as one family.
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Grief or loss
A death, a miscarriage, a move, or another loss that everyone is carrying differently.
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A loved one's mental health or addiction
Supporting someone you love while caring for yourself and the rest of the family.
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Big transitions
A new baby, adoption, a move, a deployment, a diagnosis, or a child leaving home.
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Differences in faith or values
When beliefs change and family members are struggling to stay close.
Every kind of family
Families come in many shapes. Whoever you count as family, we'll work with the people who matter in your life.
- Parents and children of any age
- Teens and their parents
- Blended families and stepfamilies
- Co-parents in separate homes
- Adoptive, foster, and kinship families
- Adult children and aging parents
- Siblings
- Grandparents raising grandchildren
- LGBTQ+ families
What to expect
Family therapy is a collaboration. Here's how it usually unfolds.
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Step 1: Reach out
Request an appointment, or call or text us. Tell us who's involved and what's going on. Our scheduling team will match you with a therapist who works with families and has times that fit your schedule.
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Step 2: Get to know each other
In the first session or two, your therapist hears each person's view of what's happening, learns your family's history and strengths, and helps you agree on goals.
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Step 3: Work on what matters
Sessions focus on understanding the patterns between you and practicing new ways to talk, listen, and solve problems. You might try small things at home between sessions, like a weekly check-in.
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Step 4: Keep it going
As you reach your goals, sessions space out. You leave with tools you can keep using, and you're always welcome back for a tune-up.
Not sure family therapy is the right fit? Call or text (801) 738-4653 and we'll talk it through.
How our family therapists work
Your therapist chooses research-informed approaches that fit your family's needs and your children's ages. Common ones include:
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Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (EFFT)
Helps family members understand emotional patterns, express needs for support and connection, and build more responsive relationships through guided conversations.
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Structural Family Therapy
Looks at family roles, boundaries, and patterns of interaction, then helps the family make adjustments that support clearer communication and healthier relationships.
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Behavioral Family Therapy
Helps families spot unhelpful patterns and practice communication, problem-solving, and parenting skills through collaborative coaching and exercises.
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Family Systems Therapy
Explores how family members influence and respond to one another, helping children, teens, and caregivers understand patterns and build more supportive connections.
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Narrative Therapy
Explores the stories you hold about yourselves and each other, separates people from problems, and makes room for strengths, values, and new possibilities.
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Play Therapy
Uses developmentally appropriate play to help younger children express experiences, explore feelings, and practice coping and relationship skills.
Family therapy for children and teens
When a child or teen is struggling, the whole family feels it, and the whole family can be part of the solution.
Family therapy gives kids a safe way to say what they're feeling, while helping parents understand what's behind the behavior and respond in ways that help.
- Younger children often do best with play-based work, where toys, art, and games help them express what's hard to put into words.
- Teens get room to be heard, sometimes with one-on-one time with the therapist alongside sessions with parents.
- Parents learn practical skills for connection, limits, and calmer conversations at home.
- Family sessions can be paired with individual therapy for a child or teen when that helps.
Does family therapy work?
For many families, yes. Decades of research support family therapy. Large reviews of the evidence have found family-based approaches effective for children and teens facing behavior problems, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and substance use, and for adults dealing with relationship distress, depression, and alcohol problems.1
The biggest factor is often the fit between your family and your therapist, which is why we take care with matching.
1. Carr, A. (2019). Family therapy and systemic interventions for child-focused problems: The current evidence base; and Couple therapy, family therapy and systemic interventions for adult-focused problems: The current evidence base. Journal of Family Therapy, 41.
What progress can look like
- Fewer, shorter, calmer arguments
- More honest conversations
- Parents feeling confident and on the same page
- Kids and teens feeling heard
- A plan for handling the hard moments
Meet our family therapists
Many of our clinicians are trained in marriage and family therapy and work with families at every stage.
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Erin Dial
AMFT · Associate Marriage and Family Therapist
- Kaysville
- Telehealth in Utah
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Blended families
Angie Johnson
MFTi · Marriage and Family Therapist Intern
- Draper
- Telehealth in Utah
- Anxiety
- ADHD
- Attachment
Jennifer Putnam
AMFT · Associate Marriage and Family Therapist
- St. George
- Telehealth in Utah
- Addictions
- Anxiety
- Attachment
Family therapy near you
Meet in person at one of our five Utah offices, or by secure video from anywhere in the state. Telehealth can make it easier to
get everyone together, especially with busy schedules or family in different towns.
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Kaysville
498 N Kays Dr, Suite 210
(801) 477-4876
Kaysville, UT 84037 -
South Ogden
5730 S 1475 E, Suite 101
(801) 430-9493
South Ogden, UT 84403 -
Draper
121 W Election Rd, Suite 110
(801) 477-5510
Draper, UT 84020 -
St. George
1173 S 250 W, Building 2, Suite 501
(435) 243-5505
St. George, UT 84770 -
Cedar City
427 S Main St, Suite 302
(801) 738-4653
Cedar City, UT 84720 -
Telehealth
Secure video sessions for families anywhere in Utah.
Does insurance cover family therapy?
Many health plans cover family therapy when it's part of treating a diagnosed mental health condition, but coverage varies. Our
team can help you check your benefits before your first session.
What to ask your insurer
- Do I have outpatient mental health benefits, and is this therapist in-network?
- Is family psychotherapy covered? Ask about CPT codes 90847 (with the client present) and 90846 (without).
- What's my copay or coinsurance, and have I met my deductible?
- Are telehealth sessions covered the same way as in-person visits?
Family therapy questions
Have a question that isn't here? Call or text us at
(801) 738-4653.
What's the difference between family therapy and individual therapy?
Individual therapy focuses on one person's thoughts, feelings, and goals. Family therapy focuses on the relationships between people: how you communicate, handle conflict, and support each other. Many families use both at once, and your therapist can help you decide what fits.
Does the whole family need to come to every session?
No. Your therapist will help decide who attends each session. Some sessions include everyone; others might be just the parents, a parent and teen, or siblings. Families make real progress even when not everyone can be there.
What if someone in the family doesn't want to come?
That's common, especially with teens or a reluctant parent. Start with whoever is willing. When some family members change how they respond, it often shifts the whole family, and a hesitant member may join later once they see it's a safe, judgment-free space.
How long does family therapy take?
It depends on your goals. Family therapy is often short-term, and many families meet weekly or every other week for a few months. Your therapist will check in with you regularly about progress and when to space sessions out.
Can family therapy help with a teenager’s behavior or mood?
Often, yes. When a teen is anxious, down, angry, or withdrawn, family therapy helps everyone understand what's going on underneath and practice ways to reconnect. Teens may also have some one-on-one time with the therapist.
Do you offer family therapy through telehealth?
Yes. We offer secure video sessions anywhere in Utah. Telehealth can make it easier to line up busy schedules or include family members who live in another part of the state. Your therapist can help you decide whether in-person, telehealth, or a mix works best.
Is what we share in family therapy confidential?
Yes, within the limits of the law. What you share stays between your family and your therapist, except where the law requires otherwise, such as when someone's safety is at risk. At your first session, your therapist will explain how confidentiality works, including how they handle something one family member shares privately.
Does insurance cover family therapy?
Many plans do, usually when therapy is part of treating a diagnosed mental health condition. Coverage varies by plan and by therapist, so check your benefits before your first visit. Our team is happy to help. Learn about insurance and fees.
Is family therapy right for us if there has been abuse or violence?
Safety comes first. If someone in your family is being hurt or is in danger, call 911. In some situations, individual sessions are safer and more helpful than joint ones. Talk with our team and we’ll help you find the right kind of support. For a mental health crisis, call or text 988.
Who provides family therapy at Gold Counseling?
Licensed marriage and family therapists and other licensed clinicians, along with associate-level clinicians who practice under licensed supervision. You can ask for a specific therapist, or let our scheduling team help you choose.
Related services
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Couples & Marriage Therapy
Communication and connection
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Child & Adolescent Therapy
Kids, teens, and parents
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Individual Therapy
One-on-one support
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Life Transitions
Loss, change, new seasons
Take the first step together
Tell us a little about your family and what's going on. Our scheduling team will help you find a family therapist, check availability, and talk through insurance.
Call or text (801) 738-4653
