Family Counselling Services in Southgate, ON.

Working on the parent-child relationship and/or sibling relationship can set the foundation for a happier and healthier family. Our therapists have extensive experience in supporting children, youth, adults and their caregivers to learn skills and process emotions that are necessary to feel more connected as a family unit using a variety of different tools and techniques.

I am a Family therapist with experience in a children's mental health setting. I do parental coaching, helping parents find effective strategies, and I help blended families find a way to integrate those big changes smoothly. I will help you understand each other, we will identify the behavioural patterns that no longer work for you and develop new strategies for effective communication.

I would use the Systems Theory and Narrative approach to help families communicate what they view as the concerns within their family. Also using Middle Path, from DBT, as an approach to bridge the dialectical views between the individuals in the family which is causing conflict. Validating the different perspectives as individuals and looking for the kernal of truth, allows them to see the bigger picture through the lens of other members within the family.

The ‘secret’ to successful help for distressed families is clear-eyed application of what we commonly know: although linked by blood, generations and/or commitment alone, we are much more different from one another than alike. But it can be very hard to appreciate some differences at such close range. Like when our child, partner, parent, sibling, or combinations (and with moods/ other changes, do we ever stay the same?) seem out to hurt instead of love or even like us. Some differences make that hard to attain, even impossible. Yet making sense and discovering how to ‘navigate’ these complex primary relationships is essential to our wellbeing. My experience as family therapist is reliable.

At Talking Works, we help families gain an understanding of the interactional patterns that keep them stuck in negativity and disconnect and increase awareness of each person’s diverse perspective of the problem. Family therapy helps to improve communication and conflict resolution between family members leading to deeper connections and improved relationships within the family unit.

As a family therapist, I witness the transformative power of family therapy every day. It offers a unique opportunity for families to come together in a safe and supportive environment, fostering understanding, communication, and healing. Through therapy, families can address underlying conflicts, improve relationship dynamics, and develop healthier ways of relating to one another. By exploring family patterns, beliefs, and behaviors, we uncover root causes of distress and work collaboratively to implement positive changes. Family therapy empowers individuals to express themselves authentically while promoting empathy and connection among family members.

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.

Do you find that your relationships with your adult children are strained, and you struggle to form relationships with your grandchildren? Do you wish you could rely on your parents as an adult but find they have difficulty respecting your boundaries? Family therapy can help you understand one another better and help you learn to communicate so that everyone feels respected and understood.

Family therapy works because each of us is really also like a small group - with parent, child, sibling aspects (part selves) within us. It’s as if you personally contain an internal family. So when your own actual family is working well, those 'sides' of the family members do learn with each other. But they can also clash... Family (or couple) therapy is about harmonizing these relationships, both in each person as well as within the family group. I have over 35 years of experience in family therapy and see positive change occur even in tough situations. Family members move past simple role routines of who Mom, Dad, son and daughter are Supposed to Be, more aware of how to live in harmony.

Family members play an extremely important role in our health and well-being. Supportive and connected families will optimize our health and happiness. My goal is to help you and your willing family members to obtain connection, support, and fulfillment in each other via openness, honesty, boundary setting, compromise, and understanding. We will explore your families' culture, meaning systems, history, goals and individual thoughts and feelings in a respectful and thoughtful way so that you will all come to understand one another and get past the resentment and anger that often weighs families down.

Much of family therapy is about uncovering old pain and hurts, often unconsciously inflicted on people. The ability to communicate openly and honestly is a very rare skill in our society and it is even more uncommon amongst families. Because we have either raised or grown up with the people in the family we often assume we understand them and why they say or do the things that they do. The truth is that is rarely the case. I work with families to create a safe space for truth to come out, but in a way where it is nurtured and communicated through me to help with greater understanding and empathy.

Families will have a safe and supportive space to improve communication, resolve conflicts, and strengthen their relationships. Therapy can help family members develop a deeper understanding of each other's perspectives, improve trust and empathy, and learn effective problem-solving skills. We can offer tools to address family dynamics, improve parenting strategies, and navigate life transitions. Issues such as divorce, substance abuse, or mental health challenges that affect the entire family can be addressed within this space.

I believe that families should be a place where love, respect, value, care, support and encouragement are received consistently. Where children honour and obey their parents and parents are considerate and understanding towards their children as they strategically and intentionally raise their children. Through counseling, I can help to develop healthy relationships between family members in general and between parents and children specifically. It is possible to have a healthy and happy family.

Families can experience stress, conflict and fall apart at any stages of the life cycle. Blended families also pose a great deal of stress no matter what the age is of the children involved. I meet with families as a group to explore areas which are causes distress. I offer support to immediate and extended family to regain balanced family ties. Through offering everyone a chance to express themselves and reflect on problems that interfere with family relationships we will work through issues to offer resolutions and peace of mind.

Family therapy is a wonderful way to tackle family issues. It usually means learning to communicate differently and more effectively. Each family has its spoken and unspoken family rules. Helping these unspoken rules to become more visible or to revise current ones, can clarify misconceptions and assumptions. Since every family has unique problems, they also have unique solutions as well! Therapy can help a family to "see themselves in a whole new light" and realize they have everything they need to make their lives even better.

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.

Families are complicated. This is why we work from a family systems approach as we do not believe that one person is the problem, but rather we look at ways to improve the overall family system so that things can flow more smoothly for all. Our family therapy can involve some, or all, family members. The focus of family therapy is to allow for everyone to feel heard, identify family strengths, and make adjustments for areas of improvement.

If you drive with a flat tire the whole system is affected. Your car will not go smoothly nor straight. You use lots of effort trying to get to where you want to go; and the passengers are stressed! The same happens in families. If there is a problem with one or more family members, we tend to point at him/ her/ them. We want to "fix" them. However, I believe there are more than one way to look at the same situation: it is usually a systemic problem. Join the whole family in therapy. In a safe and friendly environment, you can each be heard and seen as you really are, and together arrive at a solution. This can be a very rewarding, educational, FUN and loving experience for all.