You love your child. And lately, something between the two of you has gotten hard. Maybe every conversation loops back to the same argument. Maybe your child saves their biggest feelings for you, and you're running out of ways to respond. Maybe it's quieter than that: a distance that wasn't there before, and no clear way back.
Parent-child therapy is a place to work on it together. You and your child come to sessions as a pair, because the relationship between you is what the work is about. Children, teens, and whole families are who we work with most. You don't need the right words to start. Tell us about why you're here, and we'll take it from there.
What parent-child therapy is
Therapy for the two of you.
In parent-child therapy, the relationship between one parent and one child is the focus. Instead of your child working through things alone, you're in the room together: how you talk to each other, what happens when things get tense, and how you find your way back to each other afterward.
Not the same as family therapy, on purpose.
Family therapy brings the whole household into the room. Parent-child therapy narrows in on one relationship: yours and your child's. And in child therapy, your child has a space of their own, one-on-one with a therapist. Each is its own kind of help. This page is about the pair.
Nobody sits in the room as the problem.
Not your child, and not you. Our approach is strengths-based: we start with what already works between you, even if it's been hard to see lately, and we build from there, so the two of you can heal together.
- The same argument keeps looping between the two of you, and everyone else in the house can feel it.
- Talking to each other has started to feel like walking on eggshells, for either of you.
- Something happened, a hard season, time apart, words you both wish you could take back, and things haven't found their way back to normal on their own.
- You're parenting differently than you were parented, and the space between those two things keeps showing up at home.
- You've tried to work it out on your own, and it keeps going sideways. You want someone in the room who isn't in the middle of it.
Parent-child therapy is built around one parent and one child, together. If your child needs a space that's just theirs, child therapy and teen therapy are one-on-one. If the strain runs through the whole household, family therapy brings everyone in. If you want support for you as the parent, there's parent coaching. And if worry is a big part of what's happening, see how we work with anxiety.
What to expect
Deciding to work on your relationship with your child can feel like a big step. Here is exactly what happens, so there are no surprises:
- 1
Reach out.
Fill out our short contact form or call us. Tell us about why you're here, in your own words. No clinical language needed. Do you have a preferred therapist? You can tell us that too.
- 2
We coordinate for you.
A care coordinator, not a therapist, follows up to talk through therapist fit, language preferences, availability, and cost. You choose from there. Scheduling and cost questions stay with our care team, so your time together is for therapy.
- 3
Meet the therapist.
A consultation is available before you commit, so you and your child can see whether the fit feels right.
- 4
Begin together.
Early sessions are about your therapist getting to know the two of you: how things are between you, and what you each want to be different. The exact shape of the sessions is something you'll work out with your therapist, in the way that fits your child's age.
Our approach
We take time to match you and your child with a therapist who fits, including language. Depending on the therapist, sessions are available in Korean, Mandarin, or Taiwanese.
Here, the relationship is the client. Your therapist pays attention to how the two of you talk, what each of you is carrying into the room, and how culture and generational differences show up between parents and kids. Families of every background are welcome here.
And this is never about deciding who's at fault. It's about the two of you understanding each other better, and practicing something different, together.
Who you'll work with
Nabi Family Therapy is a group practice of experienced therapists across four California offices. Our team includes licensed therapists and supervised associate therapists, and children, teens, and families are the heart of our work. We match you and your child with the therapist who fits, rather than asking you to figure that out alone.
Logistics
- Where: In person at our offices in Manhattan Beach, Arcadia, Irvine, and Burbank, California.
- Telehealth: Online sessions are available for clients who are physically in California or Oregon at the time of the session.
- How long and how often: Your therapist will talk openly with you about what makes sense for the two of you.
- Getting started: Requests go through our care team, who coordinate scheduling with you. There is no instant online booking, on purpose: matching comes first.
Fees and insurance
We believe you should understand cost before you begin, not after. When you reach out, our care coordinator will walk you through the cost for the therapist you're matched with, before you commit to anything.
- Session fees: Sessions are $175–250. Sliding scale spots are limited but available.
- Insurance: We are currently in-network with Cigna PPO, Aetna PPO, Optum/United Health, and Anthem Blue Cross, in California. Availability varies by therapist, please contact us to verify.
- Private pay: Sliding-scale spots are available for students, single parents, caregivers, essential workers, seniors, and others facing hardship. FSA and HSA payments are accepted.
- Out-of-network: We provide superbills you can submit to your insurance for possible reimbursement.
You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate of what your care will cost. Learn about your right to a Good Faith Estimate.
Questions
FAQs
How is parent-child therapy different from family therapy or child therapy?+
Family therapy brings the whole household into the room. Child therapy and teen therapy are your child's own one-on-one space. Parent-child therapy is for the two of you together, because sometimes the relationship itself is what needs the attention. If you're not sure which fits, tell us about why you're here, and our care team will help you sort it out.
Will my child and I always be together in sessions?+
Sessions are built around the two of you, because your relationship is the focus. The exact shape, who is in the room and when, is something you'll work out with your therapist, in the way that fits your child's age. You'll never be guessing about the plan.
What if my child blames me for what's going on?+
That happens, and it's something the work can hold. Nobody sits in the room as the problem, you included. Your therapist's job isn't to take sides; it's to help the two of you hear each other and practice something different.
Can we do parent-child therapy online?+
In-person sessions are available at our four California offices. We also offer secure online therapy for clients who are physically in California or Oregon.
How much does it cost?+
Cost depends on the therapist you're matched with and whether insurance applies. Our care coordinator will go over the numbers with you before your first session, so there are no surprises.
Whatever has gotten hard between you and your child, you don't have to work on it alone, and every family deserves a place to belong.
When you're ready, reach out and tell us about why you're here. Our care team will take it from there.