Home / Couples & partners / In-laws & family boundaries

Couples therapy for in-law conflict and family boundaries

Visits that end in arguments. A parent who’s involved in every decision. Feeling like your partner chooses their family over you. Family boundaries are a frequent source of couple conflict.

Book a free 15-min consult

About couples therapy

Couples & partners · Secure video across Illinois · Gottman-informed & EFT

What this can look like

In-laws involved in your decisions
Feeling caught between your partner and your parents
Disagreeing on how much time to spend with family

Holidays and visits that spark fights
Different cultural expectations about family roles
Feeling your partner doesn’t stand up for you

Why it happens

Two families, two sets of rules

Each of you grew up with different ideas about closeness, privacy, and obligation. Those differences show up most around family.

Loyalty can feel divided

When one partner feels torn, the other can feel unprotected. Both reactions make sense.

Culture shapes expectations

In many cultures, parents are closely involved in adult children’s lives. That can be a strength and a source of strain.

How couples therapy can help

01

Understand both families

Look at the expectations each of you brings, without making either family the villain.

02

Become a team

Agree on how you’ll handle family as a couple first.

03

Set boundaries together

Plan how to communicate limits kindly and stick with them.

Questions

Yes. Family members can join sessions when it would help and everyone agrees. We’ll plan it together beforehand.
Yes. Intercultural and interfaith couples are a core part of our work.
That’s common. We’ll start by understanding how each of you experiences the situation.