Inside the Family System: Choosing the Right Support for Parents, Couples, and Children
Introduction
In today’s complex family landscape, parents such as the ones we serve in Brooklyn Heights, Syosset, and across New York often find themselves balancing their children’s emotional and behavioral needs while also navigating stress within their own relationships. At SageMind Psychology, many families initially seek therapy for child-centered concerns—such as anxiety, emotion dysregulation, behavioral challenges, or school-related stress.
Over time, parents often realize these challenges are not isolated to one child, but connected to the broader family system. Patterns of communication between partners, unresolved conflict, or co-parenting stress can significantly impact children’s emotional well-being. Understanding whether parent coaching, couples therapy, or co-parenting support is the right next step can be transformative for the entire family.
SageMind Psychology offers in-person therapy in Brooklyn Heights and Syosset (Long Island), as well as virtual therapy across 44 states, helping families access evidence-based care wherever they live.
To explore how families can decide which type of support best fits their needs, we spoke with Michal Goldman, LCSW, a New York–based couples and relationship therapist who specializes in attachment-based therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and discernment counseling.
Parent Coaching vs. Couples Therapy for Families in Brooklyn Heights and Long Island
Rebecca: Many parents we work with are focused on doing what’s best for their child, but it’s not always clear where to start. When should a parent consider parent coaching versus couples therapy?
Michal: Parent coaching is most helpful when the primary goal is improving parenting skills, strengthening parent–child communication, and learning concrete strategies to support a child’s emotional or behavioral needs. This approach is especially effective for families navigating anxiety, impulsivity, or emotion regulation challenges in children.
Couples therapy becomes essential when the relationship between parents is affecting the emotional climate of the home. If communication breakdowns, chronic conflict, or emotional distance are present, strengthening the partnership often leads to meaningful improvements in children’s sense of safety and stability. Families we see in Brooklyn Heights and Long Island are often surprised by how much relational repair between parents positively impacts their child’s behavior.
How Couples’ Emotional Health Impacts Children
Rebecca: In your experience, how does couples’ emotional health influence parenting and children’s outcomes?
Michal: Children are incredibly sensitive to the emotional tone between their caregivers. When parents struggle with unresolved conflict or emotional disconnection, children often internalize that tension. This can show up as anxiety, acting out, withdrawal, or difficulty regulating emotions.
Couples therapy—particularly attachment-based approaches like EFT—helps parents recognize and shift patterns that keep them stuck. When parents feel more secure and understood in their relationship, they naturally become more emotionally available and responsive to their children. This often leads to noticeable improvements in family functioning and child emotional regulation.
Families seeking family therapy or couples therapy in Brooklyn Heights or Long Island often benefit from addressing these relational dynamics alongside child-focused work.
Supporting Co-Parents After Separation or Divorce
Rebecca: We also support divorced and separated parents. How do you approach co-parenting support when parents no longer live together?
Michal: Co-parenting support and discernment counseling can be incredibly helpful for families navigating separation or divorce. Many parents are deeply committed to their child’s well-being but struggle with boundaries, communication, or lingering emotional hurt.
Discernment counseling supports couples who are unsure about the future of their relationship by helping them gain clarity about next steps—whether that’s repairing the relationship or transitioning into a co-parenting partnership. Once clarity is reached, structured co-parenting support can help parents establish routines, communication agreements, and conflict-management strategies that protect the child’s emotional health.
We frequently see co-parents in Brooklyn Heights, Long Island, and throughout New York who benefit from this focused, systems-oriented approach.
A Practical Communication Strategy for Parents and Co-Parents
Rebecca: Can you share a strategy that helps couples and co-parents communicate more effectively?
Michal: One powerful strategy rooted in attachment theory is mirroring and validation. Before responding, reflect back what you heard your partner say, then acknowledge how their perspective makes sense—even if you disagree. This slows reactive cycles, increases emotional safety, and helps both people feel heard.
Over time, this approach builds trust and mutual respect, which directly benefits children by creating a calmer, more predictable family environment.
Feeling Overwhelmed? How to Decide Where to Start
Rebecca: What would you say to a parent who feels overwhelmed trying to choose between different therapeutic paths?
Michal: Clarity brings relief. Start by identifying where stress shows up most in your family system. Is your child’s behavior signaling parent–child strain, or is unresolved conflict between parents shaping the emotional environment at home?
A thorough assessment often reveals the best path forward—and sometimes the most effective solution is parallel support, such as parent coaching alongside couples therapy. What matters most is that each family member feels supported, understood, and empowered to make meaningful change.
Closing Thoughts
When family systems are supported at the right level—through parent coaching, couples therapy, or co-parenting support in Brooklyn Heights or Syosset—the entire family benefits. With in-person and virtual options available, SageMind Psychology helps families build emotional resilience, strengthen relationships, and create lasting change.
Families interested in learning more can explore:
About Michal Goldman, LCSW
Michal Goldman, LCSW, is a New York–based marriage and couples therapist specializing in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and discernment counseling. She supports couples and co-parents in moving from disconnection and conflict toward clarity, understanding, and emotional security.
Learn more about Michal’s work or schedule a consultation at: https://michalgoldmanlcsw.org