Family Counselling Services in Alberton, ON.

It is not uncommon in families for patterns to be set and sometimes these patterns are not healthy or helpful for family relationships, or individual mental health. We often learn to tolerate our family members’ behaviour and have difficulty speaking up or expressing how their behaviour impacts us. In my sessions with families, I encourage open, honest communication and ensure that each individual feels validated and gets equal time to be heard. Often difficult conversations can be more successful when there is a neutral person facilitating and promoting respectful, non-confrontational interaction. If you think your family would benefit from my support and guidance, please book a free consu

Dr. Van Blyderveen, Dr. Saliba, and Dr. Brunet each offer family therapy at New Leaf Psychology Centre. Through family therapy, you and your family will learn to communicate more effectively with one another, better understand each other, and experience more frequent moments of closeness. Attention will be given to balancing the relationship quality with the different roles of parents and children. Dr. Saliba has a special interest in working with blended families, and Dr. Brunet has a special interest in facilitating attachment between young children (ages 0 through 6) and their parents.

Sometimes the difficulties occurring in a family are systemic - which means that there is not really a 'problem person' but a family interaction malfunction. In family counselling, it is understood that everyone in the family impacts and affects everyone else and the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. It is also understood that the way to 'fix' a family problem is not by simply changing specific behaviours, but by changing the structure of the family. This can be a very important process for the many different types of families that we have in our society.

I believe that relationships are a key determinant to one’s mental health. I focus on unpacking dysfunctional relational dynamics commonly experienced in one’s family of origin such as: enmeshment, co-dependency and people pleasing. Together, we may explore early attachment styles, underlying trauma wounds including intergenerational trauma and communicating healthy boundary setting

My overarching goal in family therapy is to help families overcome challenges, improve communication, and build stronger, more supportive relationships. Children and parents alike are heard and validated, in an environment that fosters honesty and safety. The specific approach used is eclectic and will depend on the unique needs and circumstances of each family.

Family therapy is a unique opportunity for loved ones to come together, listen to one another, and navigate challenges. Are you a parent wanting to support your young child or teenager through a challenging transition? Are you an adult child wanting to reconnect with your parent or a parent wanting to reconnect with your adult child? Or are you a family processing a new event, like blending your family, a divorce, or a change in lifestyle? As a family therapist, I am here to ensure that everyone’s voice and opinions are heard, so that you can navigate your goals in your most authentic and preferred way. Connect with me today for a free consultation to see if we are a good fit.

Working on our family relationships can set the foundation for a happier and healthier life! Our therapists will help you learn skills and process emotions that are necessary to feel more connected as a family unit. Using a variety of different tools and techniques, our clinicians help the family dyad understand the root cause of the struggle, practicing compassion and empathy. We then prioritize working on effective communication and conflict management, and help family members reconnect again in more loving and joyful ways. If you're wanting to build healthier & stronger bonds with your loved ones, book a consult or session today! www.kaleidoscopecounsellingco.com

Family dynamics can be challenging to navigate even during the best of times, and family therapy can help each member of the family unit find new ways to relate, connect, and communicate with each other. Giving each family member the chance to feel heard and valued while also navigating external stressors like work and school can be a struggle, so I work collaboratively with clients to identify and explore patterns of interaction that they want to strengthen or change, while highlighting each member’s contributions, and celebrating the family’s successes. Book a free consultation to learn more about my approach and explore if we are a good fit.

A common problem that I see when helping families is that parents struggle to get their kids to finish tasks, stay organized, and cannot motivate them to do, well, anything. “Unless it’s YouTube or a video game they’re just not interested and I don’t want them always depend on me for everything.” There are a number of tools and methodologies that can help with these problems. It does take time and commitment; however, with the right support and guidance easier, friction-free, happier days are very possible.

We all learn differently, express differently, and quite often perceive experiences differently because we bring a different "lens" and that is why your counsellor needs to be CREATIVE and FLEXIBLE. As parents we feel a deep responsibility to be these great parents and raise remarkable kids, but life isn't so easy and we are far from perfect. We need to give ourselves a break sometimes because we are only doing the best we can with what we have. Sometimes we just need a little help along the way. No matter how large your family is, lets find solutions and have FUN while we are doing it!

Sometimes the difficulties occurring in a family are systemic - which means that there is not really a 'problem person' but a family interaction malfunction. In family counselling, it is understood that everyone in the family impacts and affects everyone else and the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. It is also understood that the way to 'fix' a family problem is not by simply changing specific behaviours, but by changing the structure of the family. This can be a very important process for the many different types of families that we have in our society.

Conflict and other issues often challenge the integrity of the family. Poor communication can be one of the main contributors. Many families give up unnecessarily, leaving minimal or even no contact between family members. Family therapy can help individuals understand the root of the dysfunction and open respectful lines of communication presenting the potential for healthy family relationships. Learning to let go of the past, healthy communication and conflict resolution can often lay the foundation to build a solid future of healthy relationships.

Family therapy often benefits from a client-centered approach. Throughout our sessions, we will focus on communication and the openness to share one’s feelings honestly. Using exercises, we will work on improving communication, listening skills and emotional honesty. The use of behavior therapy may also be incorporated where we seek to recognize and change destructive behavior patterns. Use of these approaches encourages families to engage in healthy communication styles and break habitual cycles of unhealthy behaviors.

Family therapy is in many ways the most difficult of all therapy’s simply because you have the issues of not just one person but also all involved. There is a multiplication factor equal to the number within the family plus the dynamic of how the family organizes itself around communication, conflict, and intimacy and supports it. All successful families do two things extremely well . . . create a sense of belonging and allow for the freedom to be an individual. When I work with families I bring over twenty five years of experience to every session. Almost 100% of us across the nation . . . when asked what is the most important thing in our life, will answer ‘family’!

Family therapy at Neurodiversity Aware Therapy supports families in understanding differences, improving communication, and reducing conflict in ways that feel respectful and sustainable. Our approach recognizes that family challenges often arise from mismatched expectations, stress, or unmet needs rather than individual fault. Therapy focuses on clarity, collaboration, and practical strategies that help families build trust, strengthen relationships, and support one another more effectively.

Family dynamics are complex. Whether it's communication breakdown, recurring conflict, or emotional disconnection, I help couples create a space where difficult conversations can happen safely and where they see how the intricacies of how the interactions with and between themselves must be fully addressed and understood so they can find the relational satisfaction they are looking for. This work supports members in understanding each other and moving toward healthier, more honest relationships.

For over 10 years, my approach is very much client-centred, drawing from both Family Systems and Solution-Focused theories. I also use psychoeducation and Play Therapy in sessions. I have found these approaches widely accepted by previous clients who seem to want to gain understanding as to why things were occurring in their relationships, but also quickly wanted to press on towards practical solutions.

Family life is filled with developmental stages and many changes. Navigating through these changes can be challenging at times. Psychotherapy can help families gain greater understanding of each other and discover new ways to communicate. It is my goal to provide a safe place for families to come together to share their experience and work together on their common goal. It would be an honor to work with you.

Families are immersed in issues and transformative experiences that give rise to personal stories that shape the identity of each member within it and the group as a whole. Although the issues may be diverse, opportunity exists to construct new narratives capable of not only resolving them, but producing new changes, directions, and purpose in life. As a practitioner of narrative therapy, a therapy often used with families to reauthor dominant stories upheld through an integration of new perspectives, it is my pleasure to be able to collaborate in assisting with the first steps towards this.

Sherry enjoys helping families understand one another and implement changes that will improve the family dynamics. She meets with the individuals who are part of the family system, listens to their issues and concerns, and then brings everyone together to discuss the issues and, when needed, develop a plan. When the group meeting takes place, she ensures that everyone is emotionally safe by establishing 'guidelines for respectful discussion'.

Family Systems Approach. The family systems approach is a theory developed by psychiatrist Murray Bowen in the 1950s. Specifically, Dr. Bowen built family systems theory and its concepts assume that there is an emotional system governing human relationships in families. Based on the roles within the system, people are expected to interact with and respond to one another in a certain way. Patterns develop within the system, and each member's behaviors impact the other members in predictable ways.

Through a combination of Family Systems techniques, therapeutic art making, and talking therapy, I help families build communication, become aware of their habits and ways of interacting, identify problems, and come up with solutions for the best way to solve or manage these problems. I help families become a more open and cohesive unit by helping them become more aware of the ways that they interact with each other, and helping them resolve conflicts and anxieties. I help families strengthen their relationships through honesty and open communication, so that they can overcome conflicts together.

Family relationships are the ones that form us and often have the most meaning in our lives. My approach to family therapy begins with respect for each individual in the family with the realization that each person’s behavior affects the whole. I am an empathetic listener as well as a facilitator of healthy relationships and communication. I enjoy helping families work through conflict and develop the insight and skills needed to improve their relationships and their personal well-being.

Families are remarkably resilient and have wonderful potential to heal one another. They typically develop patterns and structural characteristic over great periods of time that enable them to respond to both stressors from outside and inside the family. Helping families look at their patterns in novel ways, empowers them to make small and sometimes simple changes, greatly impacting outcomes. Family therapy is all about learning more about the patterns that keep families suspended when they desire change. In addition, family therapy harnesses the power and uniqueness of each family to recover and grow as a unit.

Conflict in families is a normal part of our life but situations can arise which make navigating the road of life difficult. Experiencing parent/teen difficulties? Teens have a developmental task of separating from their parents, and life at this stage can produce conflict. This does not take away from the fact that good parents are the key to producing resilient teens. Perhaps conflict is due to different parenting styles in a blended family. There are many factors which go into making a happy stress free home. Seeking help in a safe and caring environment is sometimes needed to achieve this goal.