FAQ's

How do I get to The Family Center?
We are located in Union Square:
366 Somerville Avenue
Somerville, MA 02143
617-628-8815
Click here
By Car:
From MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE (from downtown Boston)
  • Cross the MASS AVE BRIDGE and continue north until you reach Central Square.
  • Turn right onto PROSPECT STREET (the main Central Square Intersection).
  • Go straight on PROSPECT STREET for 1 1/3 miles. You will cross four main intersections: Broadway, Hampshire, Cambridge, and Webster Streets.
  • At WEBSTER STREET, you will see that PROSPECT STREET becomes one-way after the light. Proceed and stay in the left two lanes.
  • You will go over a bridge. You will see a Dunkin Donuts on your left. There are two lanes that turn left at the bottom of the bridge; do not get in the farthest left lane. PROSPECT STREET ends and you will turn left onto SOMERVILLE AVE.
  • After turning left, get into the far right lane. There is lots of construction here, but stay as far right as you can and when you get to the stoplight, bear right onto BOW STREET.
  • Stay in the left lane on BOW STREET. When it "Y's" stay to the left, and when it "Y's" again, stay left. The second "Y" is a very sharp turn. After you make the turn, you will see The Family Center across the street.
    you pass the Market Basket grocery store on your left, you have gone a block too far. Turn around and go back the way you came. Once you turn around, you will see a small green building which is the bar, Bull McCabe's. The Family Center is the two-story yellow building next to it.
From ROUTE 2 (ending at Alewife)
  • When the highway part of ROUTE 2 ends, bear left onto ROUTE 16.
  • At the next stop light, take a right onto MASSACHUSETTS AVE.
  • Go approximately 1.25 miles. At about 1 mile, you will pass BEECH STREET on your left. Long Funeral Home is on the far left corner.
  • Get in the left lane.
  • After BEECH STREET, you will see the Porter Square Shopping Center on your left. At the stop light, bear left onto SOMERVILLE AVE. You will see the Porter Square T Stop on your right and a CVS Pharmacy on your left.
  • Proceed down SOMERVILLE AVE for 1? miles. When you see a Market Basket grocery store on your right you are only a block away from The Family Center. Two small streets off to the right, CHURCH STREET and CARLTON STREET are right after the Market Basket.
  • You will see a small green building which is the bar, Bull McCabe's. The Family Center is the two-story yellow building next to it.
From I-90
  • Get off the PIKE at the Cambridge/Brighton Exit.
  • Go straight on RIVER STREET across the bridge, crossing the Charles River. Stay on RIVER STREET until you reach MASS AVE (about ? mile).
  • DO NOT TURN ONTO MASS AVE.
  • Cross MASS AVE onto PROSPECT STREET. Follow the directions from above for "From MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE" starting at #3.
By Public Transportation:
Two buses (#87 Lechemere/Clarendon Hill and #85 Kendal Square/Spring Hill) stop directly in front of The Family Center. Bus routes #80, #86, #88, and # 91 all go through Union Square about 4 blocks from The Family Center.

What are your hours?
The Family Center is open Monday - Thursday from 9am - 8pm, and Friday from 9am - 5pm.

I'd like to come to The Family Center for services, how do I make an appointment? For individual appointments with Family Therapy Services:
Please call The Family Center during our business hours (listed above) and ask to speak with the Intake Coordinator. If the Intake Coordinator is not immediately available, the receptionist will take your name and number and the Intake Coordinator will call you back within 24 hours.
The Intake Coordinator will spend about 20 minutes gathering your personal information and insurance information. The Clinical Director will review this information and match you with the most appropriate therapist here at The Family Center. At that point, you will receive a call from the Clincial Director informing you of the name of the therapist. Your insurance will be verified and your assigned therapist will then call to set up an appointment with you 2-3 days following your initial contact with us.

For Family Support Programs:
Please call The Family Center during our business hours (listed above) and ask to speak with the Group Leader for the group you are interested in attending (Parenting Journey, Parenting in America, or Transitions). The Group Leader will then schedule a time in which you can meet in-person to go through the intake process; Family Support intakes usually take about an hour.

What is the cost for your programs and services?
All of our family support programs are provided at low-to-no-cost. We accept many forms of public and private third-party insurance for our counseling services. We also offer a sliding fee scale on a limited basis for those who do not have insurance or who cannot afford the full cost of care.

I see that you provide childcare for all of your parent support programs, what is your childcare policy?
We provide free childcare for all parents attending our Family Support programs. You will be asked about your childcare needs during your scheduled intake with your Group Leader. We provide childcare for toddlers, school-aged children, pre-teens and even teenagers (depending on your need and their developmental appropriateness). Under certain circumstances we will provide childcare for infants as well. We do not provide childcare to children with severe behavioral problems requiring medication unless the child is already under the care of a medical professional and is receiving appropriate treatment.

Do you have any volunteer opportunities?
For all volunteer opportunities, please call and ask to speak with our Director of Development.

How do I find information on The Parenting Journey Training Institute?
For information on our Parenting Journey Training Institute in New York, please visit The Parenting Journey Training Institute website.