Family Counselling Services in Toronto, ON.

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.

I look at family therapy as a pattern from the family of origin, if growing up was dysfunctional; faced issues such as abuse, substance abuse, poor health, or poverty, did not adequately demonstrate love, that person may experience difficulties in these areas later in life and show up in their family. They might also, have developed coping strategies or related strengths in the face of a difficult upbringing. Without an awareness of how these issues affected them, it is likely that the negative pattern may be repeated over time. A child who witnesses parents make certain choices or engage in certain behaviors may develop a tendency to behave in a similar manner.

Depression is not something to be ashamed of , nor is it a character flaw or a sign of a weak personality. No one with depression can just "snap out of it". You wouldn't ask someone to "snap out of diabetes or some other illness, and you cannot expect it of a person with depression. Everyone gets sad sometimes - a brief blue mood, feelings of disappointment or loss. The great news is that up to 80% of people who recieve proper treatment improve as a result. There are two principle modes of treatment for depression - Psychotherapy and medication. Your not alone, millions of families and friends have felt exactly like you. Your one step closer to change

Clients come to see me in my practice in downtown Toronto in order to help them focus on problems and conflicts between family members. In some cases, this includes parent-child conflicts. And in others, this may include conflicts between the adults in home, who may have differing approaches to parenting. Finally, excessive conflicts between siblings may also be a reason for family therapy.

Research shows when one family member is struggling, all the members of the family are affected in some way. Giving each person in the family a safe place to voice their concerns can help families improve communication and resolve conflict. Family therapy addresses the behaviors of individuals as well as the dynamic between family members. • It can provide vital communication skills. • Help family members develop healthy boundaries. • Promote problem-solving • Build empathy and understanding

In order to gain a better understanding of a person's situation, their behaviour is explored in the context of Family Systems Therapy (FST). FST looks at the family as an emotional unit and identifies the patterns of interactions that are maintaining the challenges, including the patterns of communication & language used to discuss the challenges. This helps to better understand the impact of family dynamics, family values, beliefs about gender roles, status or power of family members, and cultural & ethnicity on a person's self-perception. I also use strengths-based practices with families in order to transfer strengths of individuals & family systems into therapeutic awareness.

Families can be tough. No doubt about it. I'd be more worried if a family got along 100% of the time. Conflict is an opportunity to bring us closer together. And with the right tools of communication and conflict resolution, based upon the theories of Emotion-focused therapy, we can get there together.

Our families can benefit from family therapy when they experience any stressful event that puts pressure on family relationships, such as financial hardship, family fractures or break ups, or the death of a loved one. Some issues we would focus on in family sessions are improving communication and solving conflicts, exploring ways we can support a family member who is experiencing difficulties, and how to grow stronger moving forward. It can seem like a monumental task. However with hope, optimism and commitment families can get better.

I use Emotionally Focused Family Therapy with families. Whatever the stage of development of your family is at (adult children, young children, etc) we work towards corrective emotional experiences for both the "child" and their main attachment figure. These experiences happen within the counselling room, virtual and in-person! If you think I might be a good fit for you, please don't hesitate to inquire if I have any spaces for families. I truly and deeply enjoy working with families at every stage of their life cycle, and offer intentional and safe approaches to our journey together.

Therapy can provide a safe environment for families that seek to repair their relationships. The problems generally stem from a much earlier time, when it was hard for family members to understand the nature of their conflict. Each person often has felt hurt and misunderstood, and these feelings have perpetuated over time. My approach is to encourage dialogue between them to help them understand the dynamics that have prevented a fulfilling relationship. I also try to establish the positive intentions of the work they are about to do. Therapy is intended to give them insight into what went wrong and how to repair the relationship while working through the difficult feelings and mistrust.

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.

Sometimes it is valuable to have a parent(s) and their teenager together work towards healing the rifts that tear their relationship apart. The same applies to parents and their young adult children. Through the family work people note they are able to understand and get 'heard' by their family members.

Communication.empathy and forgiveness work are a primary focus in family therapy with me. We work with many modalities including Traditional talk therapy: Giving space for the family to explore and express feelings, own awareness’s, transform thoughts, grieve, vent, and neutralize guilt, anger and fear. New understandings and thus new neural pathways and patterns begin to form. This is a profoundly transformational set of tools that can bring families to stronger places of connection and union.

I have specialized training in working with families in achieving their goals. Family dynamics can be complicated to work through, but with me, I can be an unbiased source of support. We can sort through the potential feelings of being unheard or invalidated and get a clearer sense for optimal functioning in the family. Reach out today to begin this journey.