Family Counselling Services in Kitchener, ON.

"The idea that one of the best things you can do for your child is to create a loving relationship with your partner is not sentimental ... it's a scientific fact" - Susan Johnson, Hold Me Tight. More and more we realize that love is not a total mystery and that it can be scientifically understood. I will help you recognize how you are connected to and dependent on your partner in much the same way that a child is dependent on a parent for nurturing, soothing, and protection. The way to strengthen families is to build secure emotional connections, and for members to be emotionally open, attuned and responsive to each other.

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.

The Refuge's can support your family to heal and recover from a variety of life challenges, including trauma, addictions, eating disorders, grief and loss, separation and divorce, conflict, complex family dynamics, and other transitions and stressors. Our approach is trauma-specific, body- and emotion-focused, and grounded in attachment theory, neuroscience and family systems to help you and your loved ones restore respectful communication, mutual understanding, repair attachment injuries, develop emotion regulation skills, promote attuned parenting, and reconnect with joy and enjoyment with one another. Our team offers individual, couples and family sessions.

Each family has its own unique personality that impacts the functioning of its members. I am trained in a variety of therapeutic models and the approach I take will be catered to your family dynamics and the special challenges that brought you here today. When working with the family, I help improve their ability communicate openly to challenging issues and work through ups and downs in their relationships.

Leanna has extensive training and experience in family therapy. Her work is effective in helping family members recognize how they function in the family system and ways in which they each contribute to the family culture. Family members develop a greater understanding of their family’s dynamics through active participation in a process of recognizing how each member is impacted by the other members. Family therapy helps to increase a sense of belonging and a respect for differences among individuals. Respect for age-appropriate autonomy and self-determination are important in this process. Family therapy and parent coaching also help parents to refine their family vision and parenting identity. Family therapy is a rewarding experience for nuclear, blended, and extended families.

Living in a family is challenging. With a mixture of genders, sizes, ages, needs and personalities it's often difficult for lives to run smoothly. As well, every family is different--some are recently created as a result of remarriage while others are long established. Using Systems Theory as a guide, I will help you to explore the strengths that are already in place in your family as well as areas that can be improved. We'll strengthen communication skills and look at the roles being fulfilled by family members. Some meetings will be done with the entire family, while at times I may meet with family members in pairs or individually to get a clear picture of the family structure.

Rhonda is particularly adept at facilitating change in families by structuring and modelling new ways of being and relating. From the very young to the old, her client's benefit as they begin to feel respected and heard by their family members with an approach that gets people talking about and processing their disappointments, hurts and needs. She has a unique way of recognizing and drawing on people's strengths and values to encourage a positive perspective in family sessions.

Families dealing with illness can benefit from counselling by having someone who understands the complexity of your situation help you sort through your emotions and family experiences. It can be difficult for families to communicate when dealing with challenging circumstances. Having a counsellor who can help you to navigate these issues and perspectives gives you an opportunity to connect with one another and then deal with life in more effective ways.

I believe that parenting is the most difficult challenge that anyone ever faces. I can help you learn techniques that minimize power struggles and help you enjoy being a parent. We will learn active listening skills and ways to manage conflict that lead to a quieter, happier household. We will discuss developmental stages and how to adapt as your child grows and changes. If your child is struggling with a learning disability or is on the autism spectrum, we will explore strategies that help your child and look at resources that are available to provide extra support.

What affects one member of a family affects all the members. The troubles of couples affect their children. A huge challenge is finding successful way to blend families created by new partnerships and figuring out good step parenting and step children strategies. Love and optimism turn out not to be enough to ensure happy family life. In counseling we will talk about communication, finances, trust, sexuality and many other issues. You will learn new skills and increase in self esteem and confidence. Other family units who may seek counselling are, for example, a mother and daughter or brothers and sisters. They may want to clear up misunderstandings and enjoy a more satisfying relationship.

As an individual and couples counsellor I do not do a lot of family counselling, however, I am comfortable having your family come to my home office and discuss your current challenges. We can look at your communication patterns as well was what is working well and what is not working well. With this exploration we can work to shift the way you each see the situation.

Family therapy is a process for everyone to feel heard, understood and that their needs matter. From the youngest to the eldest all our needs matter. Through a process of growing empathy for each other, we can explore creative ways where everyone can get their needs met and everyone can have space to be themselves. Sometimes we all get confused about what we are really wanting. So often conflict and misunderstandings create isolation in even the most loving families. Our work together is to make the time and space to understand each other and find the way back from conflict to connection.

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!