My Approach To Couple and Family Counselling

Couple and family relationships are two of the main intimate human relationships that contribute to our happiness, and are the foundation for our growth. The family of origin is where we learn how to relate to each other, and how to give and receive love and care, and we extend and enrich what we have learned from it to our partner and children. I am interested in helping you to explore options and solutions to struggles that you encounter in your relationships, and to regain harmony.

Regardless of cultural differences, finding a good balance between individual needs and the needs of your family is the key to your internal harmony. To better yourself and your relationships with your partner and family requires curiosity, openness and courage. During therapy I invite you to be curious about your struggles, your problems with your partner and family members, and to look for changes/additional options.

Change begins with you as an individual, and each new adjustment you make will create transformations in relationships with your family members. Making changes in yourself or your family may feel threatening or intimidating at first, even if you believe it is positive. Having a professionally trained Marriage and Family Therapist like me to provide support and guidance through those transitions can be particularly helpful. 

My interventions with couples and families are based on what is happening for you in the here and now. We will view different layers of your problem, including the systems to which you belong (family, community, work, school, etc) and we will look through cultural and historical lenses, when relevant. I provide counseling with a view that combines my personal, cultural and professional wisdom and knowledge.

My standard of service quality is ensured by my professional ethics and discipline, ongoing professional development and clinical supervision.

My approach is aimed at helping you develop a thorough understanding of your issues and concerns, and to provide the best support and guidance possible so that you can solve your problems.

I look for the differences, strengths and limitations in the relationships within your family. I will help you discover alternative ways of relating. The strengths and limitations of your family are like the two sides of a coin—often, the greatest strengths of a family or person, can also be their greatest challenge.

There are times when it is beyond our ability to look at these difficulties from an objective perspective. Therapy is aimed at helping you see your problems and experiences, not only as you experience them, but also how they might look to others within your family.

Imagine if your family was like a coin in your hand, where you are able to see its strengths as well as its limits at the same time. This would allow you to have the freedom to choose what to do with what you have been given.

I am fascinated by the experience of living outside “the coin,” outside of the family and culture, while still having an intimate connection with one’s roots. This allows one to continually grow and reach out to other people and cultures.

If you are curious about how you can overcome your couple/marital and family struggles and become closer both to yourself and to one another, please contact me for a free 10 minute phone consultation. We can then discuss how counselling might be helpful to you or your family.