Family dynamics can be complicated, no matter what your family looks like.

Maybe everyone loves each other but keeps falling into the same arguments. Or your child is struggling, and you don’t know how to help. Or maybe you’re navigating a major transition or blending two households. 


Whatever brought you here, I offer an unbiased, neutral space where families of all kinds can truly hear one another, deepen communication, and grow stronger together.

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The relationships you have within your family carry over a lifetime.

Families don’t exist as isolated individuals. What happens to one person can have a ripple effect on everyone else. 


Your familial dynamics have lasting, far-reaching impacts—psychologically, behaviorally, and socially—shaping everything from self-confidence to how you handle conflict and the habits you carry into the relationships in your life. 


Even the most loving families can get stuck in patterns that aren’t working anymore. 


Maybe you feel like everyone is always talking, but no one is actually listening, and you keep circling the same argument. Or you're parenting a child with frequent emotional outbursts, navigating a move, adjusting to a new sibling, or learning to co-parent across two households. 


Family counseling gives you the opportunity to slow down, listen to each other, and learn how to build the healthier, meaningful relationships you want, together. 

Family therapy can help you by…

  • Coaching you through conflicts, such as between the parent and child or disagreements on how to raise your children
  • Guiding you towards understanding and seeing each other’s perspective.
  • Developing and practicing skills for healthier communication
  • Understanding how to respond to a child or teen exhibiting challenging behavior such as anger, defiance, or isolation
  • Supporting you through major life transitions such as divorce, loss, moving, or new siblings.
  • Providing co-parenting counsel to help new dual-household living go smoothly for all. 

Family and therapy have something in common: they should be your safe space.

In therapy, I create an open, accepting environment where everyone can speak their minds, feel heard, and truly understood. My approach is pragmatic, collaborative, and holistic—observing the concerns of each and every family member, as well as how everyone interacts as a whole. 


When you truly witness and understand how you all impact each other in real time, you can move forward towards creating meaningful, lasting change. 

Family counseling for any household

No two families are the same. 


Whether you’re a single parent, multi-generational or blended family, or modern-day Von Trapps, I work with families of all sizes! Rather than struggling on your own to learn what works for your unique unit, I provide strategies that take into account each person’s age, personality, and concerns. Together, we’ll uncover the patterns that we want to change and develop perspectives rooted in mutual respect. 

Navigating Divorce and Co-Parenting

Divorce changes a family. Even when parents are making thoughtful decisions and trying to protect their children, moving from one household to two can be an enormous adjustment for everyone. 


I offer co-parenting support so you don’t have to navigate this process alone. 

Co-parenting counseling can help new dual-household living go smoothly for the children and families by addressing: 

  • Adjusting the move to two households
  • Prioritizing the children’s emotional needs through the transition
  • Communication skills
  • Reducing conflict 
  • Establishing healthy boundaries
  • Navigating differences in parenting approaches
  • Helping extended family and friends adjust and honor the new family structure


The romantic relationship may have ended, but the family relationship grounded in respect, communication, and healthy boundaries can still continue.

Austin Family therapist Dianne Arnett of Talking Points Psychotherapy smiling while sitting and hold

Dianne Arnett, Austin Family Counselor

When it comes to working with children and unique family dynamics, I’ve seen it all! 


My decades-long career has spanned social work, running and teaching parenting classes at the Children’s Discovery Center, and supporting children from all walks of life as a therapist. 


I grew up with six siblings and two wonderful parents before going on to become a foster mother for 18 children, and mother to my own children and stepchildren. I’ve seen firsthand how families can work through anything together. 


So if you’re worried that your family is too chaotic or beyond help, let me reassure you it takes a lot to faze me. I bring to my sessions the patience, knowledge, and experience instilled in me from a lifetime of advocating and supporting families. We’ll explore and untangle your history and habits together in collaborative sessions rooted in warmth, and develop practical frameworks and tools to support your family as you grow together.

Learn More about me

You can be more than a family that just gets along.

Your home can become a space where everyone can feel safe being themselves, communicate honestly, listen intentionally, and understand each other more deeply. Together, we’ll identify patterns that are getting in the way and build stronger, healthier bonds that can carry your family through whatever life brings. 

Book a free 30-min consult