Family Counselling Services in Maple Ridge, BC.

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.

Today family can mean different things to different people. Each family structure is challenged with their own set of difficulties and problems. Whether you are a blended family, single parent family due to divorce or loss, adoptive family, same sex parents, or traditional, we recognize family dynamics can be complicated. Together we will work to develop strong communication skills between each family member, while nurturing and solidifying the family unit. We will work to overcome conflict, heal the wounds of the past, build parenting skills and create a safe environment where all family members can be heard.

When there is conflict within our family system it can feel heartbreaking and have major effects on each individual’s health and wellness. Finding harmony as a family ultimately comes down to finding effective ways to communicate and working to understand each other’s unique perspective. During family therapy sessions I seek to make sure each individual feels heard and understood by their family members by giving them the opportunity to express themselves in a safe space. From here we can build the skills necessary to express our needs and desires while maintaining everyone’s stated boundaries.

Family therapy can be beneficial if you are struggling with parenting, bullying concerns, or conflict within your family to name a few. Family therapy can also be helpful during or after divorce or seperation as well. At West Coast Counselling, we work to support each member of the family and don't take sides. We work to address whatever concerns you may have and develop a plan to conquer these struggles.

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.

Family is a system, and when part of the system is separated, wounded, or isolated, the entire system is affected. Therefore, my approach focuses on improving interfamilial relationships, communication, and behaviour patterns in the family unit as a whole. I may focus on how family members function in different roles, such as partner, parent, or child. We may also explore how roles that have multiple overlapping identities, such as gender, sexuality, race, class, and religion and how these may affect the family unit. Each family member typically feels seen, heard, understood, and respected by members during and after family therapy.

Olivia finds great fulfillment in helping families thrive in a variety of contexts, including parents and children of all ages, single-parent households, and step-families. She has worked with parents and young children, offering tailored insights and practical strategies to strengthen their connection and address challenges. Olivia also supports teens and adult children in navigating family dynamics, fostering understanding and communication across generations. Olivia’s holistic approach ensures every family member feels heard and supported, promoting growth, harmony, and resilience.

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 is centered on fostering open communication, understanding, and cohesion among family members. Recognizing the unique dynamics within familial relationships, I tailor interventions to address the complexities of diverse family structures. By emphasizing effective communication strategies, conflict resolution, and the cultivation of a supportive family environment, my goal is to strengthen the bonds that connect each family member. Through a collaborative process, clients benefit from developing practical tools to navigate challenges, build resilience, and foster a harmonious family life.

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.

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.