Family Therapy

Relationships offer a source of support and comfort. They can also be a frequent source of stress and conflict.

When health issues, behavioural problems or mental illnesses disrupt relationships between you and your spouse, partner, children or parents, family (or marital) therapy may help.

Family therapy focuses on understanding, changing and improving the way family members interact with each other.

Family therapists provide the same mental health services as other therapists, simply with a different focus — treating individuals within the context of relationships. Family therapy is often short-term, usually lasting less than a year, and often just three to five months.

Treatment is intended to identify specific concerns or conflicts, assess your family functioning and set specific goals for resolving issues. It usually explores family roles, rules, goals and stages of development in order to spot issues that may contribute to conflict and stress. It may address the family’s behavioural patterns, as well as the ability to solve problems, express emotions and communicate with each other. Therapy assesses possible family strengths, such as concern for one another, and weaknesses, such as inability to confide in each other.

You’ll set both individual and family goals and expectations and work toward them, guided by the therapist who can help you learn new ways to interact and overcome old problems.

To find out more information about Kilpan’s family counselling options, choose from one of the topics on the left, or call us. You can also visit our reception to make an appointment during office hours. Subject to availability you can choose the person you would like to make an appointment with. Click here for brief comments and photographs about each therapist.