Family Counselling Services in Kingston, ON.

I have over a decade of experience providing support to families who struggle with a myriad of different issues. This could include: - parent/child conflict - divorce/separation - behavioral concerns - adoption - blended families I use systems theory to help families resolve their problems in the context of the family unit. Each member of the family works together to understand how their own contributions and actions affect each other.

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

Our relationships with our family are some of the most complex relationships of our lives. Being able to communicate our needs and feelings with our loved ones is crucial to our well-being and is an essential part of a successful parent/child relationship. Over time, families co-create a language and ways of interacting and being. However, as we enter times of stress and change, and our children grow, we start to develop independent languages that cause us to feel unheard, and invalidated. Sessions will allow you to be intentional about sharing with each other and provide a safe place to open up, repair hurts, and relearn each other's language.

Having objective guidance from an experienced social worker can be very helpful to get through problems in families. Gaining awareness of our own personal and family dynamics is crucial in order to make healthy changes. All families can eventually be faced with extremely stressful circumstances including parenting issues, dealing with special needs and serious illness, separation and divorce with custody-access issues and death and loss. As a mental health professional, I have helped many clients face this issues over the years and I have specialized training to help you deal with these issues.

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.

When we have a "home base" that is safe, comfortable, where we feel loved, and secure within, we have a solid foundation from which we can be our best self. If our home base is characterized by chaos, conflict, anger, resentment, and lack of support we struggle. Life is hard enough, let alone not having a place to "rest" and recuperate. It's especially more difficult when culture seems to be ripping away at the ties that traditionally bind families together. Problems don't reside within individuals, they occur within the context of the different "systems" with which we interact. These systems create stresses. Families are the resources that support members through their challenges.

Family counselling is a form of treatment that is designed to address specific issues affecting the health and functioning of a family. It can be used to help a family through a difficult period, a major transition, or mental or behavioural health problems in family members. I will help your family find strategies that help you communicate and function better together.

Family therapy may help family members (children and adults) build an understanding for each other and talk through concerns in a safe space. This style of therapy may be helpful when children and/or adults experience big emotions, a family member is newly diagnosed with physical/mental illness, explore symptoms/strategies related to ADHD, life/vocational transitions, divorce/co-parenting, or when conversations are related to one's gender identity and sexual orientation.

When one family member is depressed, stressed, angry, or otherwise not at their best, it deeply affects the rest of the family. Sometimes individual therapy is the correct path, but often, addressing relationship dynamics within the family system is the quickest, most direct way of dealing with the issue. I work with all ages and all combinations of family members.

Families can be difficult environments at times. We will explore family issues that are impacting the group. The family is the "client" yet each member is valued in the therapy. We can work in identifying familial roles and patterns that are negatively impacting the family unit. Through psychoeducation, validation and improved communication and listening skills we can move the family unit into a healthier spot.

Family dynamics are complicated. Each family has established patterns, such as how everyone communicates within the family system, how they deal with stressful situations and conflict, their roles in the family unit and how members seek support from one another. While I do not offer family therapy sessions, my clinic, Psychotherapy Collective has many child and family therapists availability to schedule a free 15-minute consultation to ensure they are the proper fit for your journey. Visit our family therapy page to find a therapist https://www.psychotherapycollective.ca/services/child-and-family-therapy