Family Counselling Services in The Nation, ON.

Usually a client's challenges are directly related to their position in their family constellation. Particularly in dysfunctional familes certain members are relegated to restrictive roles and behaviours. For example, the one with a temper, the hider, the denier, the scape-goat, etc. It is sometimes imperative to see the whole family in one or more sessions to truly identify the malfunction and to treat this particular family member. When the therapist is imbedded right in the family observing the "family dance" then the chances are vastly improved that the therapist can identify the family perturbance and empower the family to implement more successful dynamics.

When a family member is struggling with alcohol or drug addiction, the entire family is affected negatively. Communication barriers within families of addicts may cause the addict to withdraw into isolation, leaving their family members feeling frustrated, ashamed, lonely, fearful, depressed, hopeless and angry. The sources of addiction are mental, emotional and psychological in nature, and the addict, as well as their family, need to heal under the care of professionals. At Valiant Recovery, we offer counseling to the families of addicts to help them process the difficult emotions they have confronted, and to create a healthy, supportive environment for the addict to return home to.

Families have unique dynamics and sometimes those can be complicated. However, all families as different as they may be, all have something in common, the desire to live in harmony with one another. I specialize on helping families or couples, get to the core of what is keeping them in conflict and most importantly, I specialize on facilitating transformation for each individual so that they can free themselves from those walls or blocks and move forward to a healthier and more united family dynamics.

Family therapy is a type of psychological counseling (psychotherapy) done to help family members improve communication and resolve conflicts. Family therapy is usually provided by a psychologist, clinical social worker or licensed therapist. These therapists have graduate or postgraduate degrees. Family therapy is often short term. It may include all family members or just those most able to participate. Your specific treatment plan will depend on your family's situation. Family therapy sessions can teach you skills to deepen family connections and get through stressful times, even after you're done going to therapy sessions. During the course of this therapy, however, the focus may shift to ....

I support one individual adult in a problematic family unit and do not communicate with other members of the family directly unless I have explicit permission to do so. This approach is especially helpful when there may be emotional, verbal, or more obvious forms of abuse taking place within a family unit. I specialize in helping the individual to define what they want for themselves and the family and to implement action steps in order to achieve his/her goals.

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.

Understanding the dynamic that exists between family members in the family system is a very important first step for helping familiesa achieve their therapeutic goals. Elim counsellors have done advanced studies in Family Systems Theory and are able to identify dynamics between family members and guide family members to conclusions that are necessary if unwanted dynamics are to be changed. By using this approach, family members are able to move away from unhealthy patterns of blaming each other and become more focus on changing unwanted dynamics.

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.