Families
What’s involved
In my role as a family counsellor, I aim to create a safe, non-judgemental environment where all family members have the opportunity to express how they are feeling and how difficulties that have brought the family to therapy are impacting upon them. As well as focussing on the difficulties, I am also interested in looking at strengths and resources within the family that often become overlooked when times are tough.
There are many reasons why people seek family counselling to explore difficulties coming up within relationships in their family. Family may include parents/children (including adult children), siblings groups, parts of families, couples, step families and extended families.
Family dynamics can play a key role in the problems faced by individual family members and collective family struggles. Working systemically with the family means the views of all family members are considered (whether they attend the sessions or not) rather than just focussing on an individual member of the family who may be struggling. Instead of seeing an individual’s symptoms as an expression of internal issues, it can be more helpful to consider them in the wider family context.
Issues people may bring to family counselling
Relationship breakdown, communication difficulties, parenting issues, managing extended family relationships, children and teenagers (including supporting a child with neuro-divergency), separation & divorce and co-parenting, illness and disability.
Systemic
All family members views are considered whether they attend the session or not.
Family Groups
Parents and children, sibling groups, couples, individuals exploring family dynamics, parts of families, step families, extended families.