Family Counselling Services in Chemainus, BC.

My approach to family therapy is unique. I work with family members affected by their loved one's mental health and/or addictions challenges. Years of experience creating and running family groups of "affected others" contribute to my knowledge base on how to effectively guide families toward living their lives to their fullest, while not giving up hope. Helping families move away from caregiving toward supporting is my specialty!

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.

Today family can mean different things to different people. Each family structure is challenged with their own set of difficulties and problems. Whether you are a blended family, single parent family due to divorce or loss, adoptive family, same sex parents, or traditional, we recognize family dynamics can be complicated. Together we will work to develop strong communication skills between each family member, while nurturing and solidifying the family unit. We will work to overcome conflict, heal the wounds of the past, build parenting skills and create a safe environment where all family members can be heard.

A family is an intricate and complex system of unique individuals. I offer family counselling and relationship counselling within families. My approach considers family development across the lifespan. This approach takes into consideration the needs and challenges that are natural to families and the individuals within families at different stages of life. I am trained in Family Systems; Virginia Satir; Adlerian approaches to family counselling. I also counsel family members who have an adult loved one with a mental illness or substance use problem.

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.

Gravitate Counselling Inc.'s supportive counselling staff can help families find new ways to communicate, improve long-standing patterns, address conflicts and enhance connection with one another. You can expect your counsellor to offer a safe space to talk about family challenges, rebuild relationships, establish new boundaries and build skills that can be used outside of the counselling setting. Family relationships can be complex, and we are here to help. Andee Dale and Linda Duarte both offer family counselling by video session, and Andee Dale is available for in person counselling in Duncan, BC.

I believe that we are all profoundly shaped and impacted by our family systems and larger social context. From this perspective I do not believe that "problems" are solely located within the individual. I believe they are impacted by our family system within a social context. In family therapy, we will explore the "problem" and how it is impacting the family system. For example, how are the family members affected by the "problems" and how are they responding. Using a Systemic Family Systems Approach with interventions from Response-Based Practice and Narrative Therapy we will explore the interactions in which the "problems" occur. We will also explore the meaning behind the responses.

Families operate within a system with the confines of individual expectations. When expectations are challenged or not met, family member resort to what makes the individual feel safe and comfortable whether it is placating, withdrawing, over accommodating, or demanding. Families operate as a system and each action creates either a positive or negative reactions. Each family member operates as part of the greater system and learning how to communicate effectively, listen actively, and clarify what is heard, will help overcome the misinterpretations that cause hurt feelings, withdrawing and anger.

I can offer a safe atmosphere to talk freely about family concerns and how each family member is being impacted. Whether people are dealing with blended family challenges, a family crisis, life changes or simply wanting to strengthen communication and family bonds, I have proven strategies to help. By focusing on changing patterns in the relationship and by seeking to understand each other and ourselves better, families can be empowered to function successfully and come together in times of difficulty.

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 narcissism-co-dependency (or self-love deficit as described by Ross Rosenberg) pattern begins for many of us in the family unit. Relationships we form early in life shape our templates for relationships later in life. Learning to understand our own patterns of problem behaviours helps us develop self-awareness and opens the door to change. Is there a pattern of power imbalances, control issues, manipulation or even abuse in your family? Learn to see where things are going wrong and develop new coping techniques that help you navigate troubling relationships and build healthy new relationships.

Family counselling can be useful when miscommunication, disagreements, and family conflict is occurring. It is also useful as a preventative strategy in times of transition. Families come in all shapes and sizes; families change and expand as we age. If you are looking for family counselling in Nanaimo or a virtual approach, Island Clinical Counselling can help. Our family systems approach allow for families of all shapes and sizes to get the support they need in a timely manner. In our work with you we will help encourage families to practice empathy, give listening cues to one another, paraphrase or clarify meaning, avoid interruptions, and be mindful of each others body language.

Each family is as unique, as are all relationships. Today, families are not only made up of the traditional two parent same sex couple; but are blended, same sex, single parented, having children raised by grandparents and extended family and friends-more than ever in our history. There are times when all types of families experience difficulties that we can not resolve on our own. As your counsellor, I can provide you with a neutral perspective and provide suggestions and strategies to cope. I can provide a safe environment and provide mediation. All parties will be given an opportunity to express themselves openly, with the benefit of finding a resolution, clarity and peace.