I provide individual, couple, marital, and family counselling for those who are experiencing a wide range of personal and life adjustment problems such as:

Counselling for Children and Youth: Sometimes it may be difficult to engage a child or a youth in the counselling process.  If at any time they have questions or want information regarding the process, please encourage them to contact me directly.

I offer a set fee for counselling services. You can pay by cash or certified cheque.  Services are often covered under your employee extended benefits plan.  I am also registered with Green Shield as a provider. 

I will make every effort to schedule a session within the same week as your call to me. I understand that once you find the courage to make the call you don't want to have to wait several weeks or months for an appointment.

Key Characteristics of Healthy Families

Research has identified several characteristics possessed by successful families. Families that do well in each of these areas have fewer problems and are able to deal more effectively with problems as they arise. On the other hand, families that have difficulty in these areas tend to have more problems that remain unresolved.

Problem-Solving

Problem-solving is defined as a family's ability to resolve problems on a level that maintains effective family functioning (Epstein, Bishop, Ryan, Miller, & Keitner, 1993). A problem is an issue without an easy solution that will threaten the family's ability to function if it is not resolved.

Communication

Communication is defined as the way verbal and nonverbal information is exchanged within a family (Epstein, Bishop, Ryan, Miller, & Keitner, 1993). Effective family communication depends on several factors, including clear and direct communication between family members. Families who can express their feelings to one another are better equipped to solve problems as they arise. The ability to listen to others and to pay attention to what they say are essential skills for effective family communication.

Family Roles

Family roles are recurrent patterns of behavior by which family members fulfill family functions (Epstein Bishop, Ryan, Miller, & Keitner, 1993). The establishment of clear roles within a family is directly connected to a family's ability to deal with normal and unexpected changes. Healthy families are able to establish clear, yet flexible, roles that enable them to carry out family functions. Deciding work roles inside and outside the home is an important family task.

Affective Responsiveness

Affective responsiveness is the family's ability to respond emotionally to other family members in an appropriate manner (Epstein, Bishop, Ryan, Miller, & Keitner, 1993). Families need to be able to share and experience feelings such as love, tenderness, joy, fear, and anger. Families that are unable to respond, for example, with sadness or tenderness, may be restricted or even distorted emotionally.

Affective Involvement

Affective involvement is how well the family as a whole shows interest in and values the activities and interests of individual family members (Epstein, Bishop, Ryan, Miller, & Keitner, 1993). Both over-involvement and under-involvement are patterns of behavior that can pose problems for families. Showing interest in and valuing the activities of other family members is essential for healthy family functioning.

Behavior Control

Behavior control refers to patterns of behavior that the family adopts for dealing with family situations (Epstein, Bishop, Ryan, Miller, & Keitner, 1993). Some families have flexible behavior patterns while others may have more rigid patterns. Families with flexible behavior patterns are better able to adjust to and cope with changing family circumstances.

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