Families
Family therapists help families improve communication, strengthen boundaries, and increase emotional intimacy. This type of therapy isn't about taking sides or aligning with one family member to solve a certain problem. Instead, this treatment focuses on helping family members relate to each other adaptively and compassionately.
Upon completing treatment, family members often feel more understood and connected. While therapy isn't a cure for completely solving family problems, it does offer a working roadmap for better functioning, respect, and support.
For family therapy, book with:
Amy Parsons
Darleen Davis
Dayirai Kapfunde (virtual only)
Kim Cardinal
What Can You Expect From Family Therapy?
The idea of family therapy may seem intimidating, especially if you've never been to therapy before. But many families find that having an impartial, empathic presence helps them work through issues that were keeping them feeling stuck or resentful. Therapists value working with the entire family unit. Family therapy offers families support with the following issues:
Boundary clarification: Boundaries refer to the implicit or explicit limits set by a person. Poor boundaries lay the foundation for family conflict. When family roles are overly rigid - or overly loose - people may feel bombarded, unsupported, or misunderstood. It's especially important for parents to clearly state (and implement) their boundaries to their children.
Adjusting to new life transitions: Big changes like new jobs, homes, and babies can all be exciting, but they also represent significant sources of stress to a family system. Therapy offers a supportive environment for everyone to learn how to cope with these adjustments.
Support for child and adolescent mental health problems: If you feel lost with your child, some of the solutions may actually exist within your current family environment. Compassionate family interventions focus on how everyone can come together to improve a child's mental health.
Skills in healthy conflict resolution: When family members interact with hostility or aggression, the entire family system can feel unsafe. Conflict resolution isn't about the absence of conflict. Instead, it's about practicing more emotion regulation, improving how families speak to each other, and managing difficult issues respectfully.
Parenting skills: Parents generally have the best intentions when it comes to their kids, but some of their strategies may jeopardize the integrity of certain family dynamics. A family therapist can teach appropriate parenting skills designed to best support the entire family unit.
Who Can Benefit From Family Therapy?
What makes family therapy advantageous over individual talk therapy or child therapy? And is family therapy necessary for your current stage of life?
If you're confused about which option is best for you, keep the following considerations in mind:
You're blending your family: When two families come together, it's important to establish new roles and expectations. Family therapy can address potential conflicts and set the stage for healthy relationships between other family members.
You all endured a crisis: Family issues like domestic violence, divorce, or grief can dramatically impact overall family functioning. Family therapy may be beneficial for safely addressing intense emotions and healing emotional wounds.
You keep having the same conflicts: Even if you have insight into what you (or another family member) need to do to improve the situation, gridlocked issues can make everyone feel frustrated. Family therapy can help people move past this point of stuckness.
Your child is in individual therapy: If your child is working with another mental health professional, family therapy can augment their current treatment. When family members understand their child's needs - and can come together to support their well-being - the entire family unit benefits.
With that in mind, there isn't a right or wrong reason to seek family therapy. If you feel frustrated with current family dynamics or want specific strategies to improve communication or boundaries, the right mental health treatment can make a significant difference.
Family Therapy in Fort McMurray
How to Start Family Therapy
Beginning family therapy with Boreal Therapy Collective is easy and requires no referral. You can book your family’s initial assessment here.
Understanding Length of Therapy and Treatment
Your family’s first appointment will be 90-minutes long. For all future appointments, you can choose to book for 1 hour or 90-minutes. During your family’s first appointment, the therapist will ask your family questions to better understand your areas of struggle. This is known as an assessment. Depending on how much your family shares, the assessment phase can last anywhere from one to three appointments. The assessment is critical. It helps your family and the therapist understand your family’s goals, and it helps your therapist develop a treatment plan to support your family in achieving these goals.
After the assessment is complete, treatment begins! In the treatment phase, your family will be introduced to a variety of skills to support everyone in improving communication, strengthening boundaries, and increasing emotional intimacy. Most families will have a therapy session every two weeks, and we recommend this for optimal treatment. Effective therapy typically takes somewhere between six to twelve appointments (for some more, others less). Many families choose to continue therapy once formal treatment is complete. This is referred to as maintenance. Families that do this typically have an appointment once every six to eight weeks. This is not a requirement and is a matter of personal choice.
Family Therapy at Boreal Therapy Collective
Where We Are Located
We’re located at 8530 Manning Avenue, Unit 104. You’ll find us in the Service Canada building (on the side of the building that faces the Clearwater River). To check out our space, click here.
Parking is located at the front and back of the building. The front parking lot is closer to us but tends to fill up quickly. There is also an empty dirt lot adjacent to our office that many use for parking. If you park at the back (where Service Canada is located), you can walk around the building to reach our office. To learn more about parking, click here.
Importantly, you do not need to be in town for treatment. We offer in-person and virtual therapy and our therapists are happy to provide whatever option works best for you!
Rates & Benefit Coverage
Initial assessments are billed at a rate of $330.00 for a 90-minute appointment. Follow-up sessions are billed at a rate of $220.00/hour or $330.00/90-minutes (you can choose your preferred appointment length when booking).
Our social workers offer direct billing to 25+ benefit providers. Many benefit providers will cover a portion or the whole amount of your therapy session. With your consent, we will always direct bill your benefit provider first. Please note that our Registered Psychiatric Nurses are typically ineligible for direct billing.
If we are unable to direct bill, you can pay via email money transfer or credit card. You will be given a receipt once payment has been collected. For more information on benefit coverage, click here.
