All families have their own unique issues.  Some families have lots of conflict, some have very little and most are somewhere in the middle.  Conflict is NORMAL and some level of intense emotional upset is normal, too.  Beyond the normal conflicts that all families have, some have more intense concerns. 

For example, some families struggle with addiction where one or more parents have a problem with alcohol and/or other drugs.  Being the child or teen of an addicted parent can be extremely stressful and many find it helpful to have a place to talk about their experiences and to share their worries about things that have happened or could happen at home.   look around you...it's estimated that in every classroom, about 4 students are living with addiction.  you are not alone.

Mental Illness is another struggle that can be very stressful for families.  Depression, anxiety, psychosis often impacts the entire family and not just the person who is diagnosed.  Students living with mental illness, either their own or a family member's, often feel better when they can talk about it.

Domestic violence in families happens when either parent is threatening or abusive toward the other parent and/or the children at home.  Sometimes, these families are involved with police or social services but often, the violence is kept secret and no one outside the family knows it is happening.  Living with abuse and holding it secret is very stressful and can be damaging to children and teens.  Again, many students living with this problem feel better when they can talk about what is going on at home and learn about healthy ways to cope.