Family therapy

The decision to become a family therapist in Vancouver, B.C was largely shaped by my previous experience as an elementary school teacher. Such a role highlighted the need for extra support not just for our most impressionable populations but also for our incredibly under resourced parenting and caretaking community. 

My distinctive approach as a family therapist involves working in tandem with you, parents or caregivers, while drawing upon your unique position as those who know your child/family best. Your innate knowledge and expertise serve as the foundation from which we work to address challenges, foster healthy growth and promote a a deeper connection between you and your child.  Not only will this allow your child an environment from which they can flourish, so too will it benefit your family as a whole. 

If you are experiencing any of the following...

• Challenges managing your child’s anxiety, outbursts, defiance and emotional or behavioural dysregulation 
• Difficulties setting or implementing healthy boundaries best suited for your child and/or family unit
• Doubt while supporting your child through separation or divorce and the resulting shifts in your family dynamic 
• Questions surrounding how to best aid your child while experiencing grief or loss 
• Uncertainties while wondering how to best support your child at school or with their peers
• Struggles connecting with your child
• Disruptions or relationship breaks within your family unit

...let me help lay the foundation for healthy and natural growth

Holistic Approach to Healing

Family therapy provides a holistic approach to addressing psychological and emotional challenges. While child psychology focuses solely on the child, family therapy considers the child within the context of their various environments (home, school and whatever other communities they may be apart of). By involving the parents/caregivers, therapists rely on the most capable and influential supports within the family unit to make change. Oftentimes the changes needed for a child to thrive are simply not ones they are capable of making. ln order for an individual  to shift their own reality/environment the brain needs to be fully developed. In most cases this doesn't happen until between the ages of 25-30 which for obvious reasons poses a challenge for a child who might be struggling.  By targeting the parenting body, therapists can work with those who are capable of shifting the child's environment and address underlying issues that may unknowingly be contributing to the child’s struggles. This comprehensive approach ensures that all aspects of the child's environment and relationships are considered, leading to more effective and sustainable outcomes.

Improved Communication and Relationships

One of the primary benefits of family therapy is the opportunity to establish a secure attachment between child and caregiver/parent. Such relationships provide the foundation necessary to properly guide, reassure, protect and connect with our children in ways that are necessary for their growth. Family therapy sessions provide parents and caregivers the means to learn how to step in as the solution their child so desperately needs them to be. This not only benefits the child but also strengthens the family unit as a whole.

Shared Responsibility and Support

By working with the parenting body, it is possible to avoid children believing they are a problem in need of fixing. Additionally, by involving a therapist in the life of a child at too young an age we run the risk of reinforcing the message that they too much for their parents/caregivers to handle. In keeping with such a belief we run the risk that our children might not see capable and consistent measures of support.us as their parents or caregivers in the capable light they need to feel protected, safe, loved and regulated. This also has the potential to weaken the security of the parent/child attachment bond. Such a dynamic further reinforces the possibility that out children will look elsewhere for guidance, support and protection.  In fact, this kind of messaging has the potential to not only exacerbate the problem but also introduce an overwhelming sense of anxiety. By stepping in as parents/caregivers when our children are unable,  we are creating the potential for an increasingly supportive, connected and stable environment from which our children can flourish. 

Addressing Systemic Issues

Family therapy also recognizes the complexity and layers beneath what a child might be struggling with that extend beyond just the family unit. Such struggles are often not the result of an isolated incident but could be better described as symptoms of larger, increasingly systemic problem. Acknowledging and becoming curious about the various influences each community has on our child's existence, family therapy can help to create lasting change that benefits all family members. This approach ensures that the child is not just treated for symptoms but that the root causes of their difficulties are also addressed. 

Empowering Parents and Caregivers

Family therapy empowers parents and caregivers with the tools and strategies necessary to support  child development and well-being. Parents gain insights into their own behaviours and develop a deeper understanding as to how such impacts their children. With the guidance of a family therapist, parents can learn increasingly effective parenting techniques, coping mechanisms, and ways to foster a positive home environment. In turn, this sense of empowerment leads to increasingly confident and capable parenting benefitting not just the child but the family unit as a whole.

Building Resilience

Family therapy and working specifically with the parent body also helps build familial resilience. By strengthening the foundation from which the family resides, stronger bonds and a greater capacity to handle future difficulties emerge. This resilience is crucial for the mental health and well-being of each member of the family. It is widely known that children who grow up in resilient families are better equipped to cope with stress, adapt to change, and develop healthy relationships. In working with the most capable members of the family, support plans can be effectively tailored to each family's unique needs. Therapists work with the family to set goals, identify strengths and weaknesses, and develop strategies for improvement. This individualized approach ensures that the therapy is relevant and effective for the specific issues faced by each family. By addressing the unique dynamics and needs of the family, therapists can provide more targeted and impactful interventions.

Conclusion

 Working primarily with the parental body increases the well-being and success not only for our children but also  the whole family. By adopting an increasingly holistic approach, while addressing systemic issues, empowering parents, and creating specific support plans, family therapy can lead to permanent and effective change.