Family Counselling Services in Abbotsford, BC.

Healthy and Clear Communication Our Registered Marriage and Family Therapists (RMFT) Amber Grewal provides effective family counselling and welcomes all family units. Amber is incredibly experienced with holding meaningful space for even the most difficult conversations. Amber brings her own unique approach to therapy and unique set of skills to better help you and your family. Amber has vast experience working with multi generational family systems or extended family systems.

Imagine a family as a tree with branches, roots, trunk representing parts of the immediate and extended family. When working with families, all elements are considered. Usually there is a request for family therapy due to one of it's members in crisis, often a child. However, when an analysis of need is done it becomes apparent that more than one member of the family needs help in adjusting, growing and learning new behaviours. Clients contact me for a variety of reasons: to improve communications, solve family problems, support in special situations such as death, divorce, marriage, illness, child or adolescent issues.

Family counseling focuses on improving dynamics and fostering harmony within the entire family unit. My approach emphasizes understanding each family member’s unique perspective while addressing patterns that may cause conflict or disconnect. Together, we work to enhance communication, resolve misunderstandings, and strengthen relationships by building mutual respect and collaboration. Clients benefit from a deeper understanding of one another, improved problem-solving skills, and a more supportive, connected family environment where everyone can thrive.

Most of my training has been in family therapy. I love having the opportunity of working with the whole family as it is often so productive and rewarding! I have training in several different modalities which provides me with the opportunity to mix and match as needed when trying to help families solve complicated issues! It is often much more effective working with the complete family rather than pieces of the family.

Humans are social beings, we are wired to live and connect with other humans. The first humans we come into contact with are the families we grow up in. Using attachment theory, I work with clients to help understand where they came from and how this has shaped experiences with themselves, others, and how they see the world. Families are systems and it is important to view them in this way - whether I am working with one individual family member or multiple, I approach this work by continually understanding how one piece of the system affects the others.

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.

Like all relationships our relationships with our family members may require outside help to evolve alongside our own personal development. Our Adlerian understanding of families allow us to appreciate the experiences within a family system, like birth order and dynamics amongst various family members to better understand the work involved in improving the quality of those relationships. We strive to help clients feel warmly accepted and welcomed within their own families.

Family counselling begins with the foundation that each member has inherent worth and requires dignity, respect and healthy relationships to thrive. For more complex parent/child dynamics, PCC offers a unique team approach where the child(ren) and parent(s) each have their own therapist. This provides children (esp older children and young adults) a safe space to feel heard and supported. With the family's permission the counsellors consult and together create a family plan. The results of this approach have been truly outstanding.

Despite the best intentions of ourselves and our family members, we are often tangled in patterns of invalidation, rejection, frustration and blame. It can feel so messy that we operate in a constant state of fear and a crippling sense of unworthiness. In 2008 I started my counselling career as a family therapist. A combination of individual and joint sessions will take place to allow the space for all voices to be respectfully heard, while helping to identify bigger ‘systems’ patterns that keep you stuck in pain and finger-pointing. I will help to smooth out communication, make room for wants and needs and to heal the old wounds holding you back from having a healthier relationship.

The first step in my family therapy is figure out what has changed in the dynamics of the family. There are many reasons that cause a family to become unbalanced. There are times that roles may need to change and change in itself can be very difficult for many people. It may be that separate sessions are held so that this one person can learn to communicate their thoughts and feelings to the rest of the family. The goal is to always have the family work together to learn to become a cohesive and authentic unit.

Exploring better ways to resolve conflict and communicate effectively with one another can be meaningful ways of supporting many concerns within families. Concerns can range from communication issues to crises. I, therefore, approach family counselling through a systems lens, where each member plays an integral role within the system and where the system can impact each individual within it.

My approach to family counselling uses a family systems approach to understand complex family dynamics to promote relational competency. I hold the perspective that families are an emotional unit interconnected system comprised of interdependent members who influence one another. Recognizing behaviour patterns that create imbalance and generate dysfunction can be achieved by exploring each member’s role and adjusting to foster a healthy family. I can help the family create specific goals and improve communication. I offer support for family members to resolve conflict, improve parent-child interactions, support family transitions, and help family members deal with mental health conditions.