Our Mental Health Services

Child, Adolescent and Adult Individual Therapy

 

We provide counselling to all parties impacted by separation and divorce to promote psychological health and well-being.

After a psychological assessment is completed, and in consultation with you, your therapist will select the best therapy modality(ies) to address your concerns. Treatment is collaborative so that you and your therapist will continuously review the treatment plan in order to work together and decide the next steps in treatment.

Treatments for children often involve parents, given the important role they play in supporting their children in changing their behaviour.

Our therapists have a range of expertise, including across the following specialty areas: mood issues, anxiety (including social anxiety, generalized worry, phobias, separation anxiety, panic, OCD and post traumatic stress), ADHD, anger management, addiction, chronic pain, and disordered eating.

Pre-Marital/Marital and Post-Separation Couples Counselling

 

Couples therapy can be useful at any stage of a relationship.

If you are contemplating a life together, couples counselling can help you build a strong foundation for your marriage by clarifying you and your partner’s values and expectations (and whether you and your partner are on the same page) and helping you develop strong communications skills.

With couples counselling, you can learn to listen effectively to your partner and manage fears and frustrations about yourself and your partner enabling you to confront conflict with a new perspective.

If you are separating from your spouse, couples counselling can help you adjust to this new normal, gain closure and learn new communication techniques to effectively co-parent. Post-marital counselling can also help you re-frame this life transition as an opportunity for growth and development, as well as improved parental communication.

Parent/Co-Parent Training

 

Parent training involves teaching parents specific strategies to navigate the challenges of separation and to also respond to behaviours that their child(ren) exhibit (whether separation-related or not).  Typical examples of situations that can benefit from parent training include:

  • Child has difficulty going to bed on time

  • Child displays oppositional or defiant behaviours (disrespect towards parent, siblings or other adults, not listening, being aggressive)

  • Child has difficulty initiating or focusing on tasks

  • Child has difficulty stopping a pleasurable activity (for example, playing videogames or watching tablet)

  • Child has difficulty separating from a parent and being independent

  • Child constantly requires reassurance and support from parent(s)

Parents are provided with education to understand why their child may be behaving this way, and skills to understand best practices for implementing parental responses for specific behaviours.

Parents will also be guided on how to talk to their children about an impending separation and to develop strategies for improved parent-child interactions.

Individual behaviour plans will be developed for each situation and parents will be taught skills to address their specific challenges. Mental health professionals will work closely with parents, the child and collaterals to implement the behavioural plan and ensure consistency.

Sex Therapy

 

Individuals seek out sex therapy for a variety of reasons. The goal of sex therapy is to deepen an individual’s sense of intimacy and satisfaction with their sexual partner(s). Sexual dysfunctions can arise, which can disrupt a sense of relational well-being between sexual partner(s).

Sex therapy typically involves identifying underlying factors that may be contributing to disruptions in sexual relationships. Specific psychotherapeutic approaches and techniques are used to address these issues, and helps to move individuals toward a deepened sense of emotional and sexual connectedness to their partner(s).

The core values of sex therapy are non-judgment, inclusivity, and diversity.

Group Therapy and Skills Workshops for Adolescents and Adults

 

Group therapy can take place in several forms. Some groups provide support for people going through a similar situation like divorce and stressful life circumstances. Other groups teach participants skills to help address specific challenges, like depression and anxiety.

Group members not only learn helpful skills from each other, but often feel less alone when surrounded by others experiencing similar life experiences, and struggles.

Central values that group facilitators discuss with all groups include privacy (all information discussed is confidential) and non-judgment (groups are a safe space).

Family Therapy

 

Family therapy can involve the entire family or sometimes only part of the family.  The goal of family therapy is for family members to understand and support each other. This type of therapy can help when families are feeling overwhelmed; angry and hurt; when they are unsure of next steps to take; or when feeling stuck in unhelpful patterns of behaviours.

Therapy may last only a few sessions, or it may take more time for some families. If a family therapist thinks it will be helpful, they may meet with family members individually, as well as in a group.