Family Counselling Services in Comox, BC.

Family therapy is a bringing together all the emotions, needs, disappointments, hurts of the family members, in order to discover new ways of interacting that are respectful, mutually beneficial and above all else, more loving and nurturing. If we look at Family Systems we see that all contribute to how the family "drama" gets played out; In order to change the unhealthy patterns, we must see and understand from an individual perspective, one's own role in order to effect change and new and healthy behaviours.

Family dynamics can be a complicated and sensitive balance within a home. This can be made increasingly complicated by divorce, blended families, individual parenting, spiritual values, health issues and much more. Counseling can provide family members a neutral voice and a place to be heard when fighting and arguing is impacting daily functioning and happiness, of one or more family members. We also help develop necessary tools to resolve conflict in a healthy way, bringing peace and harmony back to everyday lives.

Imagine a family as a tree with branches, roots, trunk representing parts of the immediate and extended family. When working with families, all elements are considered. Usually there is a request for family therapy due to one of it's members in crisis, often a child. However, when an analysis of need is done it becomes apparent that more than one member of the family needs help in adjusting, growing and learning new behaviours. Clients contact me for a variety of reasons: to improve communications, solve family problems, support in special situations such as death, divorce, marriage, illness, child or adolescent issues.

The dynamics within our family contribute to our inner narrative of how we see ourselves and who we are. From an attachment theory framework I look the connection between parents and children to facilitate better understanding of how each member might function in the larger social realm. I love seeing the impact of family therapy after a family has expressed a struggle with a child's behaviour when they are empowered to see their own part in it and that there are things they can do to support eachother.

Family therapy can be helpful to enhance family communications and address various behavioural issues that may be affecting the entire family. Benefits often include improved communication, learning about collaborative problem-solving, exploring various coping skills used by individual family members and a heightened sense of connection to one another. The approach is based on systems theory and uses various methods depending on the situation including cognitive-behavioral and solution focused techniques. There are times in life when life is stressful such as during financial hardship, deaths or divorces which may affect family functioning.

Despite the best intentions of ourselves and our family members, we are often tangled in patterns of invalidation, rejection, frustration and blame. It can feel so messy that we operate in a constant state of fear and a crippling sense of unworthiness. In 2008 I started my counselling career as a family therapist. A combination of individual and joint sessions will take place to allow the space for all voices to be respectfully heard, while helping to identify bigger ‘systems’ patterns that keep you stuck in pain and finger-pointing. I will help to smooth out communication, make room for wants and needs and to heal the old wounds holding you back from having a healthier relationship.

Family therapy is the cornerstone of our practice. We understand that the most important relationships in our lives have profound meaning and impact on our lives. We work to understand the individuals, families, and couples we work with to best support, assess the concerns, and offer insights and support. We help families by working to identify patterns of interaction that are not working and offering new ways of responding to each other.

My approach is centered on fostering open communication, understanding, and cohesion among family members. Recognizing the unique dynamics within familial relationships, I tailor interventions to address the complexities of diverse family structures. By emphasizing effective communication strategies, conflict resolution, and the cultivation of a supportive family environment, my goal is to strengthen the bonds that connect each family member. Through a collaborative process, clients benefit from developing practical tools to navigate challenges, build resilience, and foster a harmonious family life.