Family Counselling Services in West Point Grey, BC.

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.

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.

My hope for clients who are experiencing challenges in their family relationships is that they will create greater understanding and acceptance of one another. Clients will build healthy communication skills that will assist them in resolving current issues, as well as preventing future conflicts from occurring. It is my hope that each family member will develop a willingness to accept the uniqueness of the other members in the family, as well as a willingness to listen and understand one another. Through this process of learning how to come together with openness, each person will be affirmed that he/she matters and has a voice in the family.

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.

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.

In therapy, I help you explore your family system and history to uncover patterns and dynamics that may be influencing your current thoughts, feelings, and relationships. By looking at how roles, beliefs, and communication styles were shaped within your family, we can gain valuable insight into how these experiences show up in your life today. This process allows us to identify your strengths, address unresolved issues, and challenge patterns that may no longer serve you. Through this exploration, my goal is to help you foster self-awareness and create healthier relationships, leading to a more empowered sense of self.

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 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.

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.

When there is conflict within our family system it can feel heartbreaking and have major effects on each individual’s health and wellness. Finding harmony as a family ultimately comes down to finding effective ways to communicate and working to understand each other’s unique perspective. During family therapy sessions I seek to make sure each individual feels heard and understood by their family members by giving them the opportunity to express themselves in a safe space. From here we can build the skills necessary to express our needs and desires while maintaining everyone’s stated boundaries.

I specialize in family therapy and have a unique approach that will benefit you and the people you love. Working with me, your family will be able to improve communication, work together and repair damaged relationships with each other. I focus on helping each individual get their needs met, while balancging the health and happiness of the family. Whether you are a single parent, married or co-parenting after divorce, I can help you improve your relationships with each other and your chiIdren. I also have expertise in assisting parents who are dealing with difficult beahviors or mental health diagnoses in their children and am available for consultation as well.

Olivia finds great fulfillment in helping families thrive in a variety of contexts, including parents and children of all ages, single-parent households, and step-families. She has worked with parents and young children, offering tailored insights and practical strategies to strengthen their connection and address challenges. Olivia also supports teens and adult children in navigating family dynamics, fostering understanding and communication across generations. Olivia’s holistic approach ensures every family member feels heard and supported, promoting growth, harmony, and resilience.

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 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.

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.

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 members are the people we interact with most closely, and they are meant to be our primary source of support. However, communication can sometimes be challenging, leading to frequent conflicts. Emotional Family Focused Therapy (EFFT) can help manage these conflicts by improving communication within the family, fostering stronger connections, and creating a more supportive environment.

Family Therapy with me provides a supportive space to improve communication, repair tension, and strengthen your relationships. Together, we'll explore patterns, deepen understanding, and build healthier ways of connecting. Each voice matters. Our work creates space for healing, cooperation and a renewed sense of trust and belonging within your family.

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.

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.

Working with families is complex, yet an essential part of building a healthy foundation for all family members. Using a Family Systems's approach to therapy helps members of a family understand that all people in the family affect the quality of the relationships within the family unit. Families are like a mobile, as one part moves, all the other parts are affected to some degree. Using the concepts of the Drama Triangle is valuable in helping family members understand the role he/she/they typically plays when interacting with others. Emeshment and triangulation are explored. One person is not viewed as the scapegoat but rather seen as one spoke in the "family wheel" of a larger system.

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.

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.

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!

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.