Family Counselling
Whenever possible, it is most effective when the whole family unit is involved in counselling. As a marriage and family therapist, I have learned that it is rarely (if ever) the case that an individual’s problem is created and sustained at their fault alone. It is quite common to have a parent come to counselling saying “my son needs to work on his anger” with the agenda of having therapy ‘fix him.’ While counselling with an individual can create effective growth, what creates true lasting change is when patterns are discovered, responsibility is taken by the whole family unit as they look at each of their roles, members stop blaming each other, and we work towards new ways of working together to help make their relationships better. Family therapy will involve a variety of configurations depending on the matter at hand. Sometimes it requires the whole immediate family, sometimes just a few members. At times, it may even be helpful to bring in extended family or a friend upon careful discussion and agreement with everyone involved. What is important with family therapy is the notion that behaviours develop through a system of intertwining views, beliefs, expectations, and experiences that, once discussed in a safe non-judgemental environment, can create a new level of understanding and establish positive changes in all relationships involved.