Family Counselling Services in West Point Grey, BC.

Real Solutions to Real Challenges. Common Sense Techniques. Martin very much enjoys working with families and children. Families are systems operating in close quaters, therefore upsets and miscommunications are natural and should be expected. They can be a source of extreme disappointment and pain or they can be opportunitiesfor growth. Martin is trained in Adlarian family therapy and uses Gestalt approaches to families. He has facilitaed parenting groups and worked with children as young as three years old and granparents who were in their eighties. It is his experience that families can enjoy, help, and grow together and most of the time it takes far less work than what they expected.

I am a trained family constellations facilitator (as seen on Netflix, “Sex, Love & goop”, episode 5) and also have training through my graduate studies in family systems. As well I have a 210-hour practical Certificate in Interest-based Conflict Resolution from the Justice Institute of BC. I bring all these and an inherent belief in the power of intention to heal and restore love’s flow in families.

Most of us do not live in a vacuum. We live among people, so sometimes therapy should involve those people, too. I have a lot of experience working with parents and children, and have had great success in helping parents see the very best in their children, and helping children open up more to the love of their parents. There is nothing more satisfying to me.

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.

My approach to family counselling uses a family systems approach to understand complex family dynamics to promote relational competency. I hold the perspective that families are an emotional unit interconnected system comprised of interdependent members who influence one another. Recognizing behaviour patterns that create imbalance and generate dysfunction can be achieved by exploring each member’s role and adjusting to foster a healthy family. I can help the family create specific goals and improve communication. I offer support for family members to resolve conflict, improve parent-child interactions, support family transitions, and help family members deal with mental health conditions.

Family is where it all begins; where connection happens and wounding occurs. Each member is a part of the whole. I believe we all are doing our best to connect, with the resources we have, but we inadvertently hurt and get hurt in our families, and we each make different choices around how we deal with our emotional pain. In Family Therapy we build on the principles of safety, honesty and unconditional acceptance from an understanding that healing begins in relationship to self and others. While we can heal the individual pain that stems from family relationships in individual therapy, if members of a family are willing to work through issues together some of the deepest healing can occur.

Family systems can be very complex and difficult to navigate. Through individual and group sessions, we will work to untangle each issue at its core and process sometimes deep-rooted issues that manifest in present-day relational dynamics with your loved ones. I also provide unique support to members of diverse cultural backgrounds; understanding and adapting counselling modalities is necessary to uphold collective family dynamics, intergenerational trauma, gender roles and their significance in resolving challenges, internal family conflicts and high expectations to succeed.

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.

As a mother of two, I am constantly witnessing my theoretical background as a counsellor flying out the window. Parenting tests our mettle by the minute, and even the hardiest of us all, get bent. I use an attachment based parenting approach, whereby our bond and connection to our children is primary. Together we work to establish this trust and connection, and all else follows, not necessarily easily, but with conscious choice and understanding of our actions and reactions. I use a collaborative approach for older families, attempting to engage all family members in responsibility and unity.

Every family has it's strengths and weaknesses, and sometimes despite our best intentions we get stuck in cycles that cause wounds that can undermine unity and peace. I use Emotion Focused Family Therapy to help you identify the stuck patterns, build on your strengths as a family, and works on creating new ways of relating so that you can face the challenges together. As a Father and husband I am with you on this journey, knowing I'm far from perfect. Through extensive training I have learned and applied these skills in my own life, and I know they can help bring your family from chaos and conflict to peace and harmony. I'd be honoured to travel with you on your journey.

I approach family work using ‘systems’ principles. Each family member is part of the whole – the system. When any one part of a system changes, the impacts of this change ripple out to all of the other parts - regardless if any other part is seeking to change or not. I believe the key to healthy family systems lies in the process of ‘differentiation’ - how can each member of a family become differentiated (their full individual self), while maintaining intimacy and connection with the others (see Bowen’s work). Family cohesiveness involves practically learning to respect each other, set boundaries, and develop assertive communication skills.

Most family therapists inadvertently create more chaos through their well-intentioned efforts to assist a family move through a change process. Why? Brains are inherently deregulated (all of us, may I add) and most talking and dialoguing misses brain-centric problems that need more intensive help. Many times the emotional trauma created by years of solving problems ineffectively can wreak havoc on the brain's parasympathetic nervous system, not ever giving the family a break from flight or fight thinking. Contact us for an innovative neuroscience solution to family dysfunction. Kevin@kevinflemingphd.com or 877-606-6161.

Family counselling involves creating a safe environment where each family member is given opportunities to share their thoughts, feelings and beliefs. Once each member is heard, issues are addressed, processed and examined. Barriers and pitfalls such as communication are explored together. Along with the guidance, support and empathy of the Counsellor, family members work on creating solutions to problems. I have over twenty years of experience with working with children and families, I look forward to using my "client-centered" approach to help families move toward increasing their communication skills, valuing the input of each other and living happier and healthier lives.

Family therapy is the cornerstone to how we cope with relationships in our lives. This process focuses on relationships within the family unit. It looks at how the family has helped to form communication styles, relationships and conflict. As a therapist, I help people find connections between their present relationships and the ones within their family of origin. I work with the whole family system to help mediate concerns, and create more peaceful relationships.

Can some one PLEASE give me an example or definition of a DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY? I think it might look like the families we've all grown up in. What does your family of origin look like? How does that affect how you function in your family today? Lets look together at ways of communicating, listening, and loving each other. "But your families different you say?" I welcome the challenge. Let's all put on gloves and high rubber boots and jump into the muck together - shall we? Lets face it, families are WORK, real WORK!! It is better to work smarter not harder. Let me share my tool box with you, and see if you would like to adapt to using some of these tools in your family dynamics.

Family counselling takes on many forms. The goal is to bring together the family to create understanding and harmony. Each family member is unique with their own values and perspectives. Family counselling gives each member the opportunity to understand their perspective and their role within the family and then the perspective and roles of the other members.

Families are very intricate systems. Like other systems, families unconsciously like to maintain the status quo and keep the existing patterns. This is the primary reason why many families remain stuck in dysfunctional patterns for years. My goal is to help families recognize the patter they are stuck in, the role each person plays in the pattern, and how they can change that role.

I work with families to help them see and understand each other's unique perspectives. We sometimes get stuck trying to communicate, listen and talk without actually understanding what our family member is saying. My counselling space creates an open, non-judgmental and safe environment to improve communication and understanding with your family member(s).

Family therapy provides the opportunity to explore how unfinished business or unhealed loss in your family of origin affects how you cope with life challenges in the present. We will explore family history and major events in your family, sometimes going back generations, to find out how family members were affected by those events, and how you may be affected by them in your life now. We also have the opportunity to find the health, strength and wisdom in the family through the generations.

Family can be our most stable, loving, caring and nurturing parts of our lives. When family issues come up, then our sense of well being can be thrown into turmoil. I have 16 years of experience working with families. If you are struggling with parenting issues with a child, teen, adult or extended family issues, then I can help. I work with the whole family or parts of a family system. Every family is unique and, therefore, a unique approach is required. I will work with you to access your insight and knowledge you possess to help your family. I have worked with families from diverse cultural backgrounds. Call me today to see how my services can ease struggles & tensions in your family.

During the family therapy sessions , I create a safe space for the members of the family to express difficult emotions and missing needs which have blocked healthy connections. Rather than focusing solely on skills, by applying EFFT I will facilitate new emotional experiences within the families designed to enhance connection, safety, and closeness.

Relationships are hard work and sometimes families go through ups and downs and lets face it - it gets overwhelming. I will work with family members to address your struggles, stressors, breakdown in communication and unhelpful patterns. I take a very direct yet solution-focused approach to family therapy to help you find a more positive way forward together.

Family therapy provides a collaborative space for families to address relational challenges, improve communication, and foster understanding and cohesion. Systemic approaches are used to explore family dynamics, roles, and patterns of interaction. Through interventions like genograms, structural techniques, and narrative therapy, families gain insight into their strengths and areas for growth. By promoting empathy, enhancing communication skills, and facilitating conflict resolution, family therapy supports families in navigating transitions, healing wounds, and building stronger, more resilient bonds.

Family counselling at Teo Counselling focuses on improving communication, understanding, and connection within the broader family system. We recognize that family challenges often involve multiple perspectives, roles, and patterns that influence how members relate to one another. Our approach is collaborative and systems-informed, helping families identify unhelpful interaction cycles, reduce tension, and develop healthier ways of communicating and supporting one another. Clients often benefit from improved conflict resolution, greater empathy between family members, and a stronger sense of cohesion. The goal is to create a more stable and respectful family environment where each member feels heard, understood, and valued.

Angela has been supporting families to work through challenges and increase their strengths for over 20 years! Her training and experience support families to address sudden crisis, trauma/loss, job loss, divorce/separation, conflict/violence, parent-child/teen relationship challenges, marital discord, serious illness & family caregiving, mental health concerns, communication difficulties & developmental disabilities. Begin to rebuild troubled relationships by discovering & building on your family's unique strengths and resources. Contact Angela today for your free consultation!