Family Counselling Services in Nisku, AB.

Family therapy with me focuses on restoring connection, clarity, and communication across the people who live or operate as a family unit. Whether it’s navigating shifting roles, power imbalances, parenting struggles, or long-standing tensions, I help families move beyond blame and into respectful dialogue. My approach is structured and neutral—no one gets labelled the “problem.” Instead, we focus on patterns, emotional safety, and practical strategies that help the family function better together. Each voice matters—and each dynamic can shift.

I see families with young children, teens and adult children. Sometimes I see siblings trying to sort out old family history. I help you discern how to set appropriate boundaries that take into account issues of safety and responsibility as well as the age appropriate needs of the children. Within the family counselling, issues between the parents may need to be addressed separately as they can interfere and sometimes inadvertently sabotage parenting roles. Children can be quick to take advantage of these issues. I believe in the value of families and work to strengthen family ties.

At our clinic, we recognize that everyone's "nest" can differ. Whether you are co-parenting, married, heterosexual, LGBTQ+ identifying, separated, divorced, or blended - we provide a safe space for families of all shapes and sizes to get the care and support they need. We provide a non-judgemental space for families to explore their concerns and grow together.

In my work with families, I draw on attachment theory and systems approaches to strengthen communication, play-based interventions, emotional attunement, and co-regulation. I help families understand one another’s experiences, build empathy, and create new patterns of connection. Whether navigating conflict, transitions, or behavioural challenges, my goal is to foster relationships grounded in trust, respect, and shared growth.

In my approach to family counseling, I create a supportive environment where all members can express their feelings and concerns, while also understanding the dynamics that influence their relationships. Unlike traditional marriage or couples counselling, family therapy takes a broader perspective by focusing on the collective emotional needs, communication patterns, and behaviour dynamics within the family system. My goal is to help families navigate conflicts, improve understanding, strengthen bonds, and enhance overall functioning by creating healthier interactions and promoting emotional healing for every member, individually and as a unit. Through this approach, families can develop to

The family unite can provide a foundation of security, love, and a sense of belonging. However, often times families can struggle for a variety of reasons and seeking counselling can help improve family dynamics, interactions, communication, and problem solving. Through counselling, families can begin to heal the broken pieces and establish a nurturing environment in which the family can flourish emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually.

When working with families, I focus on built-up hurts, communication, expectations, and appropriate parent/child roles, so that all members learn how they each affect one another . We work as a team to unearth feelings that have not been shared, and how to communicate these effectively, so that they can be heard, acknowledged, and resolved. We also work on practical strategies to help with everyday life, whether this be with regards to parenting strategies, discipline, rule setting, negotiation for older children, or age appropriate expectations. By developing more empathy for one another, families can reach a greater understanding and sense of connection with one another.

Families create complex dynamics, particularly in today’s times – what with blended families, separated couples sharing child custody, and so on. Do you find yourself and your family members struggling within such circumstances? I am passionate about working with you to increase effective communication and develop healthy relational patterns. Together, we will work within a safe, non-judgemental, respectful and compassionate environment. Healthy family relationships are essential to basic safety, stability and consistency in yours and your children’s lives. This becomes the foundation for your children’s growth and adaptation to life’s challenges.

Treatable conditions appear in the most traditional of families. In addition, the number of non-traditional families (blended, adopted, foster, alternative lifestyle) is increasing; and treatable conditions arise in these families, too. When unhealthy and/or unfulfilling patterns affect whole families, it can be useful to involve the entire family in the healing process. At Sussman Psychological, family members interact on a level playing field where everyone has a chance to be heard, and an obligation to listen well and to hear others. The usual power structure is temporarily put aside in favor of optimizing effective communication processes at the level of the emotions.

When one member of a family is struggling, the rest are often struggling as well. In my work with families, it is imperative to foster positive communication and to validate the concerns and individual as well as collective experiences of family members. Psychoeducation, parenting strategies, conflict resolution, and understanding the origins of family difficulties are common themes in family therapy sessions. I often use creative means to help explore negative patterns and role playing to develop a deeper understanding of problematic interactions. My overarching goal is to help families restore damaged relationships and begin working together towards a positive shared experience.

Healthy communication and regulation skills foster positive and healthy family relationships. In session, we can explore and build on a family's communication skills, ability to navigate conflict or family crisis, and improve family coping styles. Together, we can build positive practices to provide a safe and supportive environment for you and your family.

Shift family therapy or family counseling is designed to address specific trauma or issues affecting the health and functioning of a family and individuals within it. It can be used to help the family through a difficult period of time, a major transition, or mental or behavioral health problems in family members. We often break family members up into individual sessions to target are beliefs that we hold about ourselves and the world that become part of our identity.