About family therapy
Family therapy works with several members together to improve communication, resolve conflicts and support everyone through changes such as separations, illness or adolescence.
Social workers support people and families in difficult situations: access to social and health resources, dependency, family conflicts, addictions or social exclusion. They coordinate with public services and other professionals.
Getting mental health care in the Turks & Caicos Islands
Public health system · Ministry of Health and Human Services, Department of Behavioural Health Services (DBHS)
The DBHS (formerly the Department of Mental Health and Substance Dependence) provides outpatient psychiatry, psychological evaluation, individual, family and couples therapy, substance use treatment and home-based community care, with weekly clinics in Grand Turk and Providenciales and monthly clinics in North, Middle and South Caicos. An on-call psychiatrist provides 24-hour crisis coverage. More information
How to check that a professional is licensed
- Health Professions Authority (HPA), Allied Health Professions and Pharmacy Professions Council. Health professionals must be registered and licensed under the Health Professions Ordinance; psychologists appear on the Allied Health register. The HPA publishes annual registers showing registration number and licence status. Search the official register
- Health Professions Authority (HPA), Medicine and Dentistry Professions Council. Doctors, including psychiatrists, are registered and licensed by the Medicine and Dentistry Professions Council; check the published register for active licence status. Search the official register
Insurance and coverage
Since 2022 the National Health Insurance Plan covers psychiatric care and psychiatric medication for people clinically diagnosed as needing mental health treatment.
Urgent help in the Turks & Caicos Islands
If your life or someone else's is in danger, call the emergency number now. These services can help at any time:
- 911 · Emergency (911)
Information reviewed in November 2026 · Sources: gov.tc, magneticmediatv.com, gov.tc, gov.tc
Signs to look out for
Every family goes through tension. Family therapy may help when conflict is constant or very intense, communication has broken down, a child’s difficulties are straining everyone, members feel stuck in the same patterns, or the family is struggling to adapt to a change such as a separation, a new partner, illness, migration, a loss or a child leaving home.
What helps: treatments and professionals
Systemic family therapy looks at relationships and patterns rather than blaming one person. Approaches with evidence include structural and strategic family therapy, family-based treatment for adolescent eating disorders, multisystemic and functional family therapy for behaviour problems, and parent training. Family therapists, psychologists and social workers with systemic training usually lead the work, sometimes alongside individual therapy.
When to seek urgent help
If there is violence at home, a child or adult is being harmed, or someone is afraid for their safety, contact your local emergency services or specialised protection services. Safety comes before family therapy. Seek urgent help too if any family member talks about suicide, has harmed themselves seriously, or is at risk of harming others.
What you can do in the meantime
Set aside calm times to talk, and try to listen to understand rather than to reply. Agree on a few household rules together and keep them consistent. Avoid involving children in adult conflicts. Make room for enjoyable shared moments, even short ones. If tensions run high, take breaks before continuing a discussion. Each person looking after their own well-being also helps the family.
What does a social worker do?
A social worker supports individuals, families and communities facing social, economic or relational difficulties. Day to day they assess needs, inform people about their rights and available resources, help with applications, coordinate with health, education, housing and legal services, and accompany people through crises. Some offer counselling or family intervention, especially in mental health, child protection, ageing and disability settings.
When to see a social worker
A social worker can help when practical problems add to emotional strain: caring for a dependent relative, financial or housing difficulties, isolation, a separation affecting children, a disability, or navigating services after a diagnosis. They are also key when there is risk of abuse or neglect. For psychological therapy itself, a psychologist or psychotherapist is usually more appropriate.
How to choose
When choosing, check the licence and training, the approach they use and whether they have experience with what you need. Consider practical aspects too: language, price, location or online sessions and availability. The relationship with the professional matters a great deal; if after a few sessions it does not feel right, it is fine to change.
Frequently asked questions
Does the public health system in the Turks & Caicos Islands cover psychological care?
The DBHS (formerly the Department of Mental Health and Substance Dependence) provides outpatient psychiatry, psychological evaluation, individual, family and couples therapy, substance use treatment and home-based community care, with weekly clinics in Grand Turk and Providenciales and monthly clinics in North, Middle and South Caicos. An on-call psychiatrist provides 24-hour crisis coverage.
How do I check that a social worker is licensed in the Turks & Caicos Islands?
Health Professions Authority (HPA), Allied Health Professions and Pharmacy Professions Council: Health professionals must be registered and licensed under the Health Professions Ordinance; psychologists appear on the Allied Health register. The HPA publishes annual registers showing registration number and licence status.