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Family Therapist in Los Angeles & West Hollywood
If you're in Los Angeles and looking for a family therapist, I'm Oliver Drakeford — a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and the clinical director of a private family-systems therapy practice in West Hollywood.
I've spent the last decade working with families across Los Angeles — including parents of teens and tweens, blended families, families navigating co-parenting after divorce, and families in high-conflict situations — using Structural Family Systems Therapy, an evidence-based approach focused on the patterns of interaction that drive emotional pain and behavioral problems. I see families in person at my office on Santa Monica Boulevard in WeHo and via secure telehealth across California. Free 15-minute consultations are available.
Family relationships can be both the source of our greatest joy and our deepest stress. At my West Hollywood family therapy practice, I help families across Los Angeles rebuild trust, improve communication, and navigate life’s challenges together.
As a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) specializing in Family Systems Therapy, I provide evidence-based, compassionate care for parents, teens, and children seeking healthier relationships and emotional balance. Whether your family is facing conflict, transition, or disconnection, therapy can help you restore connection and move forward together.
Why Families in Los Angeles Choose Oliver Drakeford Therapy
For nearly a decade, I’ve been providing family therapy in Los Angeles to support families, parents, teens, and adults in my private practice in West Hollywood. Before that, I served as Clinical Director of a residential treatment center for adolescents in Malibu, where I designed and led a family-centered program focused on helping families reconnect, rebuild trust, and communicate more effectively.
Families choose my practice because I combine professional expertise with genuine compassion. Whether your family is navigating conflict, emotional distress, or life transitions, my goal is to help each member feel heard, valued, and supported in creating lasting change.
My Approach: Structural Family Systems Therapy
My approach to family systems therapy is rooted in systems theory—understanding the patterns of interaction that contribute to family tension, emotional struggles, or mental health challenges. By mapping these patterns, we can create healthier dynamics that allow each person to thrive.
I strive to provide an inclusive, affirming environment where individuals and families from all backgrounds feel safe and respected. I have a particular passion for supporting LGBTQ+ relationships and families, helping them build stronger connections and communication.
Family Systems Therapy is an evidence-based approach that helps families improve emotional bonds, resolve behavioral challenges, and strengthen communication skills. It’s a powerful model for healing that focuses not just on individuals—but on the family as a whole.
What Family Therapy Helps With.
Family therapy in Los Angeles means that I collaborate and help families from all over LA, Culver City, Beverly Hills and even Sherman Oaks. Together, I help tackle a variety of issues, including the ones listed below. If you don't see the specific issue you are dealing with, please call and ask me if I can help, if I can't, I may know another licensed therapist who provides help with your concern.
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Communication issues
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Teenager Behavior
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Substance abuse
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Vaping
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Relationship conflict
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Parenting
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Life Transitions
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Blended family challenges
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School refusal
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Oppositional Behaviors
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Delinquency
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Behavioral Health Issues
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Risky Behaviors
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School Phobia
Meet Oliver Drakeford, LMFT — Your LA Family Therapist
I’m a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) with a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology. My background includes work in school-based mental health programs and residential treatment centers, where I provided both individual and family therapy.
My practice is built on warmth, collaboration, and understanding. I help teens, children, and parents strengthen their relationships, develop emotional awareness, and find healthier ways to support one another.
How Family Systems Therapy Works — Our Process in Los Angeles | West Hollywood
As a systemic family therapist in Los Angeles with over a decade of experience, I understand how deeply relationships shape our emotional lives—and how painful it can be when family stress turns into disconnection or conflict.
Earlier in my career, I created and directed a family systems-oriented residential treatment program for adolescents and parents in Malibu. As Clinical Director, I worked with hundreds of families and trained other therapists to understand how family patterns influence mental health, communication, and behavior.
Unlike individual therapy, Family Systems Therapy looks at the entire family dynamic. It focuses on how parents, children, and extended family members interact, communicate, and influence one another. Sessions often feel collaborative, similar to group therapy, because everyone participates in identifying patterns and building healthier relationships.
Through this process, families often experience:
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More effective communication and active listening
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Rebuilt trust and emotional safety
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Better management of stress, anxiety, or behavioral issues
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Stronger family unity and mutual understanding
My work is centered on helping families create lasting emotional change and improved mental well-being through insight, compassion, and evidence-based techniques.
Real Stories of Transformation
"The tools you provided us are working to better help my family during our daily lives and overcome some very difficult situations. GRACIAS ❤"
"Professional, caring, involved, and effective. Our family cannot recommend more!"
"The entire family has learned so much & it's completely changed our perspective on communication and parenting, as a whole."
Best therapy my daughter and I ever received <3
When Family Therapy Is the Right Step
Most families come to me when one of these is true:
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A teenager has shifted — grades dropping, isolating, refusing school, vaping, drinking, or vanishing into screens — and the old parenting strategies aren't working anymore.
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A parent and child are stuck in a loop of conflict that's getting worse, not better, with time. (This is the single most common reason families call.)
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The family is going through a transition — divorce, blending, a death, a move, a teen leaving for college — and the structure that worked before doesn't fit the new shape.
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Co-parents are struggling to communicate post-separation and the kids are caught in the middle.
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An adult child has stopped launching — Adult Entitled Dependence, failure-to-launch, returning home after college and not moving forward — and the family doesn't know whether to push, support, or get out of the way.
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The family looks fine on the outside but feels disconnected, walking on eggshells, or chronically tense, and no one's quite sure why.
If any of those are familiar, family therapy is probably the right place to start. Better outcomes happen when families come in earlier — patterns are easier to shift in months than in years. The free 15-minute consultation is a low-stakes way to see if it's a fit.
How Does Family Systems Work?
A structural family therapist offers a fresh perspective on tackling family challenges. It sees mental health problem behaviors as deeply rooted in how each person in the family interacts with each other. To untangle this complexity, therapists use visual aids like family maps. These diagrams are invaluable tools for a mental health professional, showing exactly how issues like depression or addiction persist within the family system and guiding therapeutic strategies.
In this family map, you can see all the family members represented and that the caregiver or parent has two children. There's a nice healthy boundary between the adults and the children, which means that the caregiver is in charge, providing rules, boundaries, love, support, and nurturance in a healthy way.
There's no one 'correct' way that any family should be, except for the idea that we want parents 'in charge' (on top),and to have a fair and appropriate amount of influence (size of the squares) and we all know that healthy boundaries create happy families free of mental health concerns.
Structural family systems theory believes that problems in family members occur when the structure of the family is off, either due to unhealthy boundaries or issues around hierarchy and authority.
This second family map shows that a child is 'in charge' of the family - that's indicated with the green square 'on top' of the family, a major of the unhelpful patterns i see often. The caregiver has been reduced in size to one of the smallest squares, indicating that they do not have the amount of influence they should be having as an adult. There are unhealthy boundaries (the dotted line) which are likely the cause of some of the tension and power dynamics at play and often lead to mental health symptoms and even physical health concerns.
This family might be having significant mental health concerns with 'Child 1', who might be refusing to go to school or perhaps is showing oppositional behaviors and breaking the rules or getting in trouble at school.
What Structural Family Therapy Means
I would work with this family to help them understand and visualize the structure that they would like to have in place. I suspect this would, in part, involve me helping empower this parent and put them back in charge of the family. I might do that by helping them with consequences, limits, and holding or coming up with other ways to loosen the child's grip on their current authority over the family.
I'd help the family with boundaries, ensuring that there's a healthy flow of communication and affection with communication, coping skills, and interventions that help the family connect with words, not actions.
Some of the common interventions I use as a family therapist and in individual therapy with parents are in the resources section on this page - in particular, I'm very fond of assigning clients the 'House Meeting' Activity.
What is Family Systems Therapy?
Family Systems Therapy is a clinical approach that treats the family as the unit of care, not any single person inside it. Rather than asking "what's wrong with this teenager?" or "what's wrong with this marriage?", it asks "what pattern of interaction in this family is producing this symptom?"
The therapist works with the whole family — or with the members who are willing to engage — to map the patterns, name the roles people have ended up carrying, and adjust the structure so that the symptoms (a teen acting out, a couple constantly fighting, an adult child unable to launch) have less reason to exist.
It draws on the work of Salvador Minuchin (Structural Family Therapy), Murray Bowen (Bowen Family Systems Theory), and contemporary integration with attachment theory and Mentalization-Based Treatment. In my practice, the dominant framework is Structural — we use family maps to make the patterns visible, then work concretely on hierarchy, boundaries, and communication.
What problems can a family therapist help us with?
My expertise as a family counselor is rooted in working with parents of teens and tweens here in Malibu in residential treatment centers and in my training in psychoanalytic psychotherapy and family systems.
I am well-equipped to address a wide range of emotional and behavioral challenges that parents and children often face. Whether it's substance use disorder, behavioral issues, setting and respecting boundaries, improving communication, resolving conflicts and angry feelings, navigating blended family dynamics, co-parenting through divorce, school based difficulties, or providing support during transitions such as moving, I am here to assist. I'm seen as a reputable and trustworthy therapist for family issues in Los Angeles and have provided assistance to many high-conflict situations.
Additionally, as a therapist provide co-parenting counseling and family conflict resolution for parents of teens and tweens who are experiencing mental health issues or behaviors such as school refusal, failure to launch, and Adult Entitled Dependence. I love working with LGBTQ+ pods and understand some of the more unique challenges LGBTQ+ parents face.
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High-Conflict & Family Conflict Resolution
A meaningful share of my practice is high-conflict family work — situations where the arguing has become the family's default mode, where one or two members feel constantly attacked or shut out, where parents and a teen have stopped speaking, or where a separation or divorce has left adults trapped in escalating cycles of contact.
In high-conflict families, the issue is rarely the surface fight. The pattern of conflict — who escalates, who withdraws, who triangulates a third person in, who carries the family's anger so others don't have to — is the work. Structural Family Therapy is particularly suited to this because it slows down the cycle, names what each person is doing in the system, and helps the family build new agreements that don't require anyone to be the designated villain.
I work with high-conflict families across Los Angeles in person and across California via telehealth, with a few exceptions: I don't take court-ordered custody evaluations, I don't write opinions for use in custody court, and I don't take cases where one party is unwilling to participate but expects me to "fix" the other. If you're searching for a high-conflict family therapist near you, the consultation call is the right place to figure out whether what you need fits what I do.
Find peace and harmony in your family with compassionate therapy sessions in California and Los Angeles
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS
In this study of teenagers' substance use, family therapy was more helpful in engaging and retaining family members in treatment and improving emotional and behavioral functioning while also reducing substance use by about 43%
DEPRESSION
In this study of adolescents with major depressive disorder, 81% of those treated with family counseling no longer met MDD criteria after treatment, compared to 47% in the waitlist control group.
EATING DISORDERS
This study of adolescents struggling with anorexia nervosa patients showed that 75% had no eating disorder symptoms regardless after a five-year follow-up. More on mental health services or Eating Disorder Therapy here.
If you need help or to talk with me about children families or parenting, book a consultation call today to see if I'm the best fit for your family.
Meet Oliver Drakeford, LMFT CGP, Clinical Director and Family Therapist With A Track Record
Oliver Drakeford is a seasoned therapist with nearly a decade of professional experience in helping families as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Oliver has cultivated a deep understanding of the intricate dynamics within familial relationships in his research and studies of Family Systems Theory.
He holds a Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University, Los Angeles, which has provided him with a solid foundation in understanding human behavior and therapeutic techniques in marriage counseling.
Complementing his academic achievements, Oliver has pursued specialized training and certifications to broaden his therapeutic toolkit. He holds certifications from esteemed institutions such as The Gottman Institute, The Center For Group Studies (CGS), and the Los Angeles Institute and Association of Psychoanalytic Studies (LAISPS). Additionally, Oliver has completed training programs in Mentalization-Based Treatment, Group Leadership, and Psychoanalytic Studies, further enriching his practice with diverse perspectives and evidence-based interventions.
As a Clinical Director at Pacific Teen Treatment Center in Malibu, Oliver has honed his skills in providing systemic approaches to treatment, emphasizing the pivotal role of family dynamics in the therapeutic process.
His leadership in facilitating multifamily group therapy and training his team in family therapy has earned him recognition for his ability to create transformative experiences for both adolescents and their parents. Oliver's unwavering dedication to improving familial relationships has propelled him to the forefront of his field, making him a trusted ally for those navigating the complexities of family and personal life together.
Resources for Los Angeles Families
As part of our commitment to supporting families, we have curated a selection of expert-driven resources tailored for parents. Dive into our comprehensive Anti-Anxiety Parenting Course, learn insightful perspectives with our Parenting Styles Quiz, and effectively plan and helps family meetings using our Family House Meeting Template.
While these links lead to external sites, we assure you that they meet our high quality and data privacy standards. For a deeper understanding of family dynamics and practical tips, explore our exclusive collection of articles and guides in our Family Therapy Blog, where we regularly share professional insights and strategies to enhance family well-being.
Find Your Parenting Style With This Quiz
Knowing your parenting style is a great first step in understanding your family.
Resources for Families In Los Angeles
If you are in LA, Culver City or Beverly Hills, there are some resources and services available for parents from LA County. Click below to learn more.
Behavioral Health & Family Therapy in West Hollywood
I see families in person at my West Hollywood office on Santa Monica Boulevard, and offer secure telehealth across California. In-person clients regularly travel from West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Beverly Grove, Hollywood, West LA, Santa Monica, Culver City, Sherman Oaks, and Los Feliz. Telehealth families join from Pasadena, Studio City, the South Bay, Long Beach, and across California — including families searching for a family therapist near them, an LMFT in Los Angeles, or an in-person session in West Hollywood.
Online sessions are excellent for ongoing systemic work and parent coaching, but I don't recommend them for severe conflict, active substance use, or crisis situations — those need the containment of an in-person room.
When Should I Seek out Family counseling?
As a marriage family therapist with ten years of experience and expertise in working with parents of teens and tweens, I am well-equipped to address a wide range of challenges that parents face. Whether it's behavioral issues, setting and respecting boundaries, improving communication, resolving conflicts, navigating dynamics within blended famillies, co-parenting through divorce, or offering support during life transitions such as moving or family conflicts, I am here to assist. I work together with parents to advise parents when and if family counseling is appropriate.
If you're thinking you might need mental health treatment, my advice is not to wait too long to call. Better outcomes are more likely if issues are dealt with quickly. and sometimes things get worse, not better, over time. You might get peace of mind when you learn more on our consultation call.
Oliver Drakeford, Licenced Therapist #104987
How I Help A Family To Repair Relationships
I specialize in helping families repair and strengthen their relationships with mental treatment and counseling services, especially if the family is struggling with family conflict or needs help with the family structure. My role is to support your family in a safe space, by enhancing your current functioning by identifying patterns of interactions that are blocking these innate strengths. Through treatment, we aim to both identify dysfunctional interactions and strengthen positive patterns, ultimately allowing your family to access and utilize these strengths more effectively.
In addition, I offer Couples Counseling and Parent Coaching, which is sometimes more manageable with busy schedules. Online counseling services help other couples with busy schedules and may also be an option for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have questions for me or about family therapy or how family systems therapy works, you can book a free consultation with me using the links below.
What kind of therapy is best for family issues?
Structural Family Therapy is the approach most often recommended for family conflict, parent–teen difficulties, blended-family adjustment, and behavior problems in children. It's an evidence-based, systemic approach developed by Salvador Minuchin that maps the patterns of interaction inside a family — who's in charge, where the boundaries are, who carries the most influence — and helps the family adjust the structure so each member can function more healthily. It's the model I use as my primary framework, alongside training in Mentalization-Based Treatment, the Gottman Method, and group analysis.
What are the 4 types of family therapy?
The four most common evidence-based family therapy approaches are: (1) Structural Family Therapy — focuses on family hierarchy, boundaries, and patterns of interaction; (2) Systemic Family Therapy — looks at the family as an interconnected emotional system; (3) Cognitive Behavioral Family Therapy — applies CBT principles to family communication and behavior; and (4) Narrative Family Therapy — helps families re-author the stories they tell about themselves. My practice uses Structural and Systemic approaches as the primary framework.
How much does family therapy cost in Los Angeles?
Family therapy in LA typically runs $150–$300 per session for licensed clinicians. My private-pay rate is in the standard range for senior LMFTs in West Hollywood. I'm in-network with Aetna, Oxford, and Quest, and can provide a superbill for out-of-network reimbursement on most other plans. We talk through fees and insurance on the free 15-minute consultation so there are no surprises.
How long does family therapy last?
Most families see meaningful change in 12–20 sessions, though it varies. Some families who come in for a specific transition (a teen going to college, a divorce, a blended-family adjustment) work for 6–10 sessions and finish. Others choose longer-term work because the patterns took years to form and don't shift in a quarter. We agree on a working frame at the start and review it together every few months.
Do you work with blended families and co-parenting after divorce?
Yes — those are core parts of my practice. Blended-family work usually focuses on hierarchy and loyalty (where do step-children fit, how do bio and step-parents share authority, how do the kids hold both old and new family stories at once). Co-parenting work focuses on protecting the kids from adult conflict and building a shared parenting plan that survives both households. I'm happy to see one parent, both parents, or the full reconfigured family — whichever the situation calls for.
Do we all have to come to family therapy?
No. Ideally everyone joins for the first session so we can map the system together, but the work moves forward even if a teenager refuses, an ex-partner won't participate, or a parent travels for work. Family-systems change happens through the people who *are* in the room — when one part of the system shifts, the rest follows. Some of my most successful family work has been with one motivated parent.
When am I not the right family therapist for you?
If your family needs a child psychiatrist for medication, a forensic evaluation for custody court, residential treatment for a teen in active addiction or psychiatric crisis, or specialized eating-disorder treatment, my practice isn't the right level of care — and I'll refer you well to someone who is. I also don't take court-ordered custody evaluations or co-parent reunification therapy by court referral. I'd rather connect you to the right help than take you on as a poor fit.
Is Family Therapy Just for Dysfunctional Families?
Absolutely not! While families experiencing conflict can benefit greatly, counseling is much more than crisis intervention. Think of it as a proactive way to strengthen communication, build understanding, and navigate life's challenges together. Whether you're facing blended family dynamics, parenting struggles, or simply want to deepen family bonds, with new ways of effective communication, therapy can empower your family to thrive. Even healthy connections can benefit from talking in a non-judgmental environment with a professional therapist.
