The Ed Asner Family Center

The Ed Asner Family Center is a center for the entire family. They offer expressive arts and vocational enrichments, provide mental health support at low or no cost, and have support groups, yoga, mindfulness, fitness.

During this unprecedented and difficult time, The Ed Asner Family Center is committed to keeping families inspired, informed and entertained. All classes until we pass through these troubled waters are being offered free of charge every week. Telehealth session are offered on a sliding scale.

#StayINspirED WITH FREE VIRTUAL ENRICHMENT

The Ed Asner Family Center has created several weekly virtual programs including:

Center at Home with Matt & Navah Asner
Drum Circle with Alan
Movie Chats with Chelsea Darnell
Music with Judy
Character Drawing with Avivah
Stay Center Yoga with Shauna
Center Fitness with Coach Liz
LGBTQIA+ Zoom Online Support Group

To explore all the offerings, go to The Ed Asner Family Center YouTube Channel

COUNSELING SERVICES

If you are experiencing depression, anxiety, worry, grief, need help with anger management or self-esteem. You are NOT alone.

These are some of the issues that their clients experience. Individuals, families and couples often face challenges in their daily lives and find it difficult to maintain healthy relationships. These issues are much more prevalent with the addition of a special needs family member.

The Ed Asner Family Center offers various approaches to therapy:

Therapy is offered by a licensed clinician such as a Marriage Family Therapist (LMFT), Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or an Associate Marriage Family (AMFT) These clinicians are trained to assess and offer professional help when challenges like these arise. Their clinicians meet weekly with couples, families or individuals to address their ongoing needs. Clinicians explore with the client productive ways to get back on track and encourage positive change.

Family Therapy

This program is designed to help all family members in the special needs household, including grandparents or caregivers. The family will learn how to comfortably express their feelings, find better ways to communicate with each other, to solve problems effectively, identify and understand special needs and to better address struggles in the home, school, workplace or out in the community. While defining clear goals and ways to support those goals, clinicians work closely with all family members. Sessions are focused on teaching the skills necessary to encourage the family as a whole to be better communicators and focus on a healthier way of living and a higher quality of life for the entire family.

Individual Therapy

Counseling for the Caregiver

Focus is placed on supporting the caregiver. Caregivers often feel overwhelmed, overextended, or alone. Oftentimes this is a step parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle or extended family member who is unsure how to handle the intense behaviors, sensory difficulties or emotional issues that accompany caring for a special needs child or adult. The caregiver is supported during private one-on-one counseling sessions. By getting the support you need, depression or anxiety can be reduced and replaced by understanding and self-care.

Sibling Art Group or Individual Therapy Session

The Ed Asner Family Center takes a unique approach in working with siblings through a creative avenue. This group is run by our mental health director, Chrisa Sadd, LMFT along with Avivah Paskowitz, the daughter of the founders. Ms. Paskowitz is a very talented and creative sibling in a special needs family. She knows first-hand how to navigate this world. This program offers support for the sibling of a special needs child/adult. Often the sibling wonders why everything is focused on their brother or sister and not on them. They might feel that they don’t get enough time to do the things they want to do. Siblings may feel guilt or anger towards their brother or sister for always being the center of the parent’s attention. The participant will be able to express feelings through games and activities while attending group sessions, as well as finding comfort and support with a community of likeminded peers.