Why should you consider family therapy? Help your family thrive!
Family therapy helps improve communication and understanding between family members so that you can enjoy a calmer household and feel confident handling stressful events together.
If you have concerns about your child’s or teen’s emotional well-being family therapy is a great option. Family therapy prioritizes the relationship between parents and children.
Family therapy with me may be a little different than other therapy you have participated in the past. Find out more about my approach!
My approach to family therapy
My approach is based on attachment theory, cultural humility, and developmental psychology. I work with families of all ages including adult children & their parents. Some of the underlying principles of my approach are:
Experiencing a secure and loving relationship with a parent or caregiver, helps children and youth become more resilient and able to handle life’s challenges.
Early childhood experiences impact the way you and your child respond to stressful events. Understanding how these factors contribute to the existing challenges your child is experiencing is an important component of family therapy.
I value each family’s unique culture and participate in ongoing learning & supervision to explore how race, ethnicity and culture shape our perspectives. I welcome families from different cultural backgrounds including adoptive, kinship and 2SLGBTQ+ communities.
Your child is doing the best they can and are not being mean, manipulative, depressed
or hyperactive on purpose. It is our job to figure out what they are trying to tell us underneath their behavior by helping them feel accepted.
Children communicate with their behaviour. Some behaviours may be due to your child’s unique neurotype or sensory processing preferences. I use a neuro-affirming and sensory inclusive lens in my practice to identify strengths and accommodations that benefit your child.
What can family therapy help you with?
Withdrawn/anxious children
I will help your child express their feelings, build confidence, and feel more secure in their relationships.
Hyperactivity
You will learn strategies that will help your child manage their energy and develop self-regulation skills.
Aggression
Together, we will uncover the root causes of aggressive behaviour and learn healthier ways to express emotions.
Stress & family conflict
Get guidance on easing family tensions, improving communication, and creating a more supportive family environment.
“You make it easy to talk to kids about difficult topics in a way that they can understand.”
Happy client :)
Family therapy in Airdrie
Modalities I use for family counselling
Family therapy with DDP (Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy)
It's the talking portion of the family therapy session. DDP is an attachment focused therapy, designed to support children who have experience adverse events including developmental trauma, bullying or family violence. DDP provides parents and children with the skills to talk about hard things together, in a therapeutic way by increasing your child’s sense of safety and attunement by you!
Family therapy with theraplay
It's an attachment-focused therapy that supports the parent/child relationship by using targeted games and activities to instill self-esteem and emotional regulation. Theraplay supports parents in providing the structure, engagement, nurture, and confidence building activities that children thrive on.
Bumbleberry Counselling
What can you expect from family therapy?
Family therapy can help your family strengthen your relationships with one another and build bonds to weather any storm.
I meet with parents for a minimum of 2-4 appointments before including your child in therapy. This allows us time to understand your perspective about your child’s behaviour, and collaborate on a treatment plan together.
Separated parents may choose to meet individually with me or a participate in a combination of joint and individual parent meetings depending on your particular family situation. This allows us to tailor strategies to each household’s specific needs.
Family therapy sessions follow a similar format each time we meet. That includes warm up games and activities to help you and your child feel more comfortable and connected before we talk about the hard stuff! We will almost always end with a short game or snack to help your child stay regulated and reconnect with you before you leave the office together.
Parent feedback sessions are encouraged after every 3-5 family therapy sessions so that we can discuss your child’s progress, offer parenting strategies and adjust the treatment approach, if needed.
Discover play therapy
Play Therapy allows children to express themselves through the use of play activities, expressive arts and toy objects. Play therapy is child led, meaning the activities we do together are based on your child’s preferences - whether it is sand tray, storytelling, role play or making art.
This makes it an accessible option for children who may not have the words to express their inner thoughts and feelings.
While most families will benefit from having a parent present in the room, individual play therapy sessions with your child may be recommended for families who are experiencing a high degree of conflict or dysregulation.
Play therapy can help your child build skills including:
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Self-confidence
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Advocacy
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Problem solving
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Perspective-taking
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Improving their relationships with others.
Family therapy: Rates & conditions
$215 per 50 minute session
We accept e-transfer, preauthorized debit, credit card as well as direct bill to many insurance providers.
In person appointments available in Airdrie:
108 Edmonton Trail NE, Airdrie, AB, T4B 1R9
Frequently asked questions about family therapy
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How frequently will we meet?
Ideally, we will be able to meet every 1-2 weeks to complete the initial parent appointments and begin parent/child sessions. Young children tend to benefit from meeting weekly at first, to help build rapport; bi-weekly for teens. Overall, most families book appointments 1-3 weeks apart based on availability.
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What if my child/teen shuts down and doesn’t want to participate?
A child who”shuts down” may be feeling overwhelmed and need a break from talking to regulate their body. We may do more games and have fewer talking moments to maintain their engagement, or shift the focus away from them while we talk about other things. If a teen is showing signs that they are overwhelmed, I may ask to meet with them privately for a portion of the appointment to ensure they feel heard and validated before resuming.
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What if my child or teen is disruptive, hyperactive, or struggles with sitting still?
I use a sensory lens to identify activities that will support your child to regulate their body and increase their ability to focus during the appointment. I will adjust the activities I plan in order to meet your child’s need for movement breaks.
Are you ready to start?
Book family therapy in Airdrie & across AB
Making family work takes a lot of time and effort! Thankfully, you’re not alone. Let me support you, help your family thrive, and strengthen relationships with one another. Together, we will explore areas that require additional attention and focus on building a rewarding family life.
I invite you to book a free initial consultation with me. During this initial call, you will get to ask your questions and learn more about my family therapy approach. If you feel like we’re a good fit, we’ll discuss the next steps. There is no obligation to book an appointment after this first step.
I look forward to talking to you!
Diana
