Many families have sought the help of Counselling Associates.  Usually this entails helping families find solutions to problems such as: discipline difficulties, school attendance and performance, emotional, physical and sexual abuse, alcohol/drug abuse, extended family conflict and communication difficulties.

Families don’t just include parents and their children.  It can also include uncles, aunts and cousins.  They are made up of people working to meet their individual and collective needs.  Family relationships are complex.  At Counselling Associates we can help clients understand those relationships to help each individual family member find their place in the family unit.

Family therapy involves getting family members communicate with each other.  A skilled therapist can act as a guide in these discussions keeping the family members focused on the important topics.  Families benefit from this in a “learn by doing” environment.

• Learning to communicate,
• Learning to recognize healthy family communication,
• Learning to keep focused on the current issue,
• Learning to resolve family conflicts,
• Learning to cope with other family member’s challenges such as:  depression, alcohol/drug abuse, anxiety or in the case of children difficulty at school.

As parents, we have children and help them grow, learn values and become responsible members of society while maintaining adult relationships.  Sometimes trying to accomplish these tasks in a complex family relationship leads to tension and family breakdown.

When one member of the family has a problem all members have a problem.  This is because each individual in the family interacts with and affects all other members of the family.  Sometimes that problem can be centred around a teenager or child in the family.  The problem may present itself as adolescent misbehaviour such as: truancy, disruptive behaviour at school, lying, stealing, using alcohol or drugs, sexual acting out, assault, or association with negative peers. The problem may also present itself in the form of adolescent depression, anxiety, withdrawal, low self-esteem or suicidal ideation.  Frequently, parents are divided and in conflict around the care and discipline of their children.

Parents also have personal problems. They may have difficulty in their marriage. They may have other challenges with depression, anxiety, alcohol, drugs, employment or finances.

At Counselling Associates we are dedicated to solving family problems and helping you to have better family relationships.

James Vickers also works closely with  “Parents for Youth”, an organization that helps parents with acting out teenagers.