Family Therapy and Family Counselling in Hackney E8

When things are difficult at home, everyone feels it. Space To Be You is a therapy centre on Mare Street in Hackney, E8, where experienced therapists work with children, teenagers, parents and adults on the relationships that matter most.

Whether you’re worried about your child, finding it hard to parent through a separation, or trying to make sense of your own family history, we’ll help you find the right therapist. If you’d like to be matched with a family therapist, click the button below and fill out your details.

Alternatively, you can browse our directory of Hackney therapists, which includes therapists who work with children, parents and families.

Written by Izabela Hunter, MA, BACP, UKCP, Child, Adolescent & Adult Psychotherapist
Last reviewed: October 2026

What is family therapy?

Family therapy is a type of talking therapy that looks at a difficulty in the context of the relationships around it, rather than treating it as one person’s problem. A child’s anxiety, a teenager’s withdrawal or the same argument repeating at home is often easier to change once the people involved understand what keeps the pattern going.

In its specialist form, often called systemic family therapy or systemic psychotherapy, a therapist works with several family members together in the room. The term “family therapy” is also used more broadly for therapy that actively involves the family: a child’s therapist meeting regularly with parents, for example, or parenting sessions alongside a young person’s own counselling.

Both rest on the same idea: when relationships change, the individuals in them usually feel better too.

Family therapy or family counselling?

The two terms are often used interchangeably. “Family counselling” tends to describe shorter, focused work on a specific issue, such as a separation or a change in the household. “Family therapy” or “systemic psychotherapy” usually refers to a specialist training and longer work on entrenched patterns. What matters most is that the therapist has the right training and experience for your family’s situation, so it’s always worth asking them directly.

When can family therapy help?

Families come to therapy for all kinds of reasons. Some of the most common are:

• worries about a child or teenager’s anxiety, low mood, anger or behaviour
• school refusal, exam pressure, or difficulties after a move or school change
• separation, divorce and co-parenting
• a new partner, step-family or blended family
• a bereavement that has affected the whole family (see our bereavement counselling in Hackney)
• a child or parent with ADHD or another form of neurodivergence (see ADHD therapy in Hackney)
• fostering, adoption and kinship care
• arguments that keep repeating, or family members who have stopped speaking
• caring for an ill or elderly relative
• adult children and parents trying to repair their relationship

You don’t need to be in crisis to start. Many families get in touch when they notice a pattern they can’t shift on their own.

How our therapists work with families

Space To Be You is a large centre with over 60 therapists, so there are several ways we can support a family. When you get in touch, we’ll help you work out which suits your situation.

Therapy for your child, with parents involved

Our child and adolescent therapists work one-to-one with your child, often using play and creative methods with younger children, and meet with you regularly to review how things are going. Many start by meeting parents on their own first. Find out more about play therapy for children in Hackney.

Parent consultations and parenting support

Sometimes the most effective help is support for the parents. Several of our therapists offer parent sessions to help you understand your child’s behaviour, manage your own reactions, and agree a consistent approach with a partner or co-parent.

Counselling for teenagers and young adults

Teenagers often prefer a space of their own. Therapists experienced with young people can work individually while keeping parents appropriately involved, with confidentiality agreed with everyone at the start.

Sessions with family members together

If you’re specifically looking for systemic family therapy with the whole family in the room, tell us when you get in touch. We’ll let you know honestly whether one of our therapists is the right fit, or point you towards a specialist.

Couples and co-parents

When the strain sits between the adults, couples therapy in Hackney can help, including for separated parents who want to co-parent more calmly.

Understanding your own family

Many adults come to therapy to understand how the family they grew up in shapes them now: patterns with parents, siblings or their own children. Individual integrative counselling or psychotherapy is often a good place to start.

What happens in family therapy?

Getting in touch

Tell us a little about what’s happening and who’s involved. We’ll suggest one or two suitable therapists, or you can contact a therapist directly from their profile. Many offer a free initial phone call.

The first sessions

The first session or two are about understanding your family: what’s happening, what has already been tried, and what you’d like to be different. In work with children, the therapist will usually meet parents first and agree with you how and when to involve your child.

Ongoing sessions

Sessions normally last 50 minutes and take place weekly or fortnightly. The therapist makes sure everyone is heard, helps the family notice the patterns between them, and supports everyone to try new ways of communicating and responding. In child work, parent reviews are usually held every few weeks.

How long it takes

Some families find that 6 to 12 sessions are enough to shift a specific difficulty. Others prefer longer-term work. Your therapist will review this with you as you go.

If you’d like a little more detail, this short video explains family therapy and counselling:

Approaches our family therapists draw on

• Systemic ideas – looking at patterns, roles and communication across the family rather than at one person.
• Attachment-based approaches – understanding how early relationships shape the way children and adults seek closeness and comfort.
• Play and creative therapies – helping children express through play what they can’t yet put into words.
• Internal Family Systems (IFS) – despite the name, an individual therapy that works with different “parts” of a person. It’s helpful for adults exploring family patterns.
• Psychodynamic therapy – exploring how past relationships shape the present.
• CBT-informed strategies – practical tools for behaviour, anxiety and routines (see CBT therapy).

How much does family therapy cost in Hackney?

Fees are set by each therapist. At Space To Be You, sessions for children and adults typically cost £60 to £130 for 50 minutes, and parent review meetings are often charged at a lower rate. Initial assessments for child work can be longer. Each therapist’s profile shows their current fees.

Free and NHS family support in Hackney

Private therapy isn’t the only option. If your child is struggling, your GP or your child’s school can refer them to NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), and some local voluntary organisations offer free family support. Waiting times for NHS services can be long, which is one reason families choose private therapy, either while they wait or instead. Your GP is the best place to ask about current local options.

How to choose a family therapist

• Training – look for specific training with children, adolescents or families. Specialist systemic family psychotherapists usually complete training accredited by the Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice (AFT) and are registered with the UKCP.
• Registration – check the therapist is registered with a professional body such as the BACP, UKCP or, for psychologists, the HCPC.
• Relevant experience – for example separation, adoption, neurodivergence or bereavement.
• Safeguarding – therapists who work with children should hold an up-to-date DBS check.
• How they involve parents – and how they handle confidentiality with teenagers.
• Fit – everyone involved should feel the therapist is fair and on their side.

All therapists at Space To Be You are qualified and registered with, or accredited by, a professional body. You can check this on each profile in our therapist directory.

Our family therapy rooms in Hackney

We’re in the Mare Street Wing on the St Joseph’s Hospice site, E8, within walking distance of Hackney Central, London Fields, Cambridge Heath and Bethnal Green stations, and easy to reach from Dalston, Clapton, Homerton and Stoke Newington. Our rooms are private, quiet and soundproofed. Many of our therapists also offer online sessions, which can make it easier to fit therapy around school and work. See how to get to our rooms.

Family therapy FAQs

How much does family therapy cost in Hackney?
At Space To Be You, sessions typically cost £60 to £130 for 50 minutes, depending on the therapist. Parent review sessions are often charged at a lower rate. Each therapist’s profile lists their fees.

Does the whole family need to attend?
No. Many families start with one person, often a parent or a child, and involve others as the work develops. Your therapist will talk through what makes sense for you.

Can my child have therapy without me?
Yes. Children and teenagers usually have their own sessions. With younger children, therapists normally meet parents first and hold regular parent reviews. With teenagers, confidentiality is agreed at the start, within safeguarding limits.

Is family therapy available on the NHS in Hackney?
Yes. NHS family therapy is usually accessed through CAMHS via a GP or school referral, but waiting times can be long. Private family therapy lets you choose your therapist and start sooner.

What’s the difference between family therapy and couples therapy?
Couples therapy focuses on the relationship between two partners. Family therapy looks at relationships across the household, often including children. Some families use both, for example couples therapy for parents alongside therapy for a child.

Can I have therapy about my family on my own?
Yes. Many adults work on family relationships in individual therapy, such as difficult relationships with parents, estrangement, or patterns they don’t want to repeat with their own children.