Are You Interested In Attending One Of Our Groups?
Eating Disorder Support Group For Parents
This is a support group for parents and partners who deal with the challenges and struggles of having a family member with an eating disorder. more
The Marvels, Mysteries and Madness of Adolescence - Discussion Group For Parents
Come to our teen series on parenting adolescence. A discussion forum to ask questions, get parenting tips and compare notes on what's normal. more
Understanding Me Respecting You
This 12 week support group is for men who are abusive in their relationships. more
Do You Need Support To Deal With Abuse In Your Relationship?
Children Living in the Midst of Relationship Violence and Abuse
Counselling for children and adolescents coping with the stress and fear of watching a parent's violent and abusive behaviour. more
Parenting in the Midst of Relationship Violence and Abuse
Short-term counselling (10 weeks) aimed to support women who are managing the effects of relationship abuse on themselves and their children. more
On The Couch Column
The "On the Couch" column appears bi-weekly in the Sunday edition of the North Shore News.
If you have an "On the Couch" question for one of our therapists email onthecouch@familyservices.bc.ca
North Shore News Articles - On the Couch:
2010
July 11 - Curb Tantrums By Getting . .. Heart of the MatterJune 13 - Don't Put ..Your Eggs in Your Partner's Basket
May 30 - Walk Beside Partners in Therapy
May 16 - Seek Out Community Support to Stay Safe
May 2 - A Closer Look at This Thing Called Love
March 21 -Operating as a Couple ....Mature Approach
February 7 - Private Wars: Stay Neutral to Make Peace
January 24 - Internet Porn: How much is too much?
January 10- Learn to Manage Your Emotions to Stay Calm
2009
December 13 - Getting to the Heart of the MatterNovember 29 - Rules can be Changed
November 15 - Who to Trust in the Search for Mr. Right
October 18 - Normal to find first holiday alone hard
October 4 - Saying Goodbye to an Ex-Partner
September 20 - Helping a Family Member with Loss
September 6 - Learning to Put One's Needs First..
August 30 - Prep For School Experience
August 9 - Dealing With a Critical Mom
July 26 - Helping Loved Ones Deal With Divorce
July 12 - Hormones Not An Excuse
June 28 - Coming Out of the Closet at the Workplace
June 14 - Breaking the News of Divorce
May 31 - Experience Can Vary
May 3 - Advice, not always yours for the taking
March 22 - Find Voice In Marriage
March 8 - Preparing For Your First Session
February 22 - Losing a Parent Never Easy
February 9 - Connecting Between the Sheets
January 25 - Understand Jealousy Before Conquering It
January 11 - Money Not the Issue
2008
December 28 - Dividing the United FrontDecember 14 - Dealing with Sibling Violence
November 30 - Relating Rather Than Imitating
November 16 - Dealing With a Mother-In-Law ...
November 2 - Helping New Moms Get on the Right Track
October 19 - Worrying About a Child's Weight ...
October 5 - Holidays Serve Up More Than Just Turkey
September 21 - Helping Children Cope with New Family
September 7- Keeping The Peace Not Always Healthy
August 24 - Mother's Guide to Coping with Empty Nest...
August 10 - Explaining the Nuts and Bolts of Play Therapy
July 27 - Helping Your Child Express What She's Feeling
July 13 - The Green-eyed Monster
June 28 - Getting Rid of the Boogeyman Once and For All
June 15 - Putting it Off an Expression of Inner Conflict
June 1 - Maturity Key to Family Matters
May 18 - Coping with Childhood Anxiety
May 4 - Determining What You are Really Angry At
April 6 - Facing the Emotions in Grief
March 23 - Niece Exhibits Signs of Eating Disorder
March 9 - The Gap Between Parents and Children
February 24 - The Body-Mind Relationship
February 10 - Broaching the Tough Stuff
January 27 - Thinking...Through the Pain of a Broken Heart
January 13 - Getting To the Root of Anger
2007
December 30 - Getting to the Root of Holiday Blues.December 16 - Risk, Relationships and the Net
December 2 - Remembering Much More Than We Think
November 18 - Conquering Fears is the Key
November 4 - Breaking Pattern of Control Hard for Victims
October 21 - Connecting Couples
October 7 - Individuation Affects Many
September 23 - Unlocking the Mystery between Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Social Workers and Counsellors
Counselling Services
Counselling can help you learn how to cope and overcome struggles in a productive manner and develop the skills to manage a stressful changing environment. Family Services of the North Shore’s (FSNS) Counselling programs provide a range of clinical counselling services that support personal growth and development by helping individuals and families cope with the stresses of daily living, recover from traumatic and upsetting events, and resolve areas of conflicts in relationships. Our staff focus on creating a safe environment that allows persons of all ages, races, gender identity, sexual orientations, religions and abilities-disabilities, to explore thoughts, emotions, beliefs and painful experiences. Counselling offers an opportunity to develop an increased capacity for choice, self-determination and growth. Clinical counselling services are available in English, Farsi, French and Spanish.
For information about Family Services of the North Shore click here.
FSNS provides individual, couple, family, and group (children, youth and adults) counselling for:
- Communication Issues
- Relationship Conflicts
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Self Esteem
- Parenting Struggles
- Parent-Child Relationships and Attachment
- Separation and Divorce
- Blended Family Issues
- Life Transitions
- Grief and Loss
- Aging
- Physical, Sexual and Emotional Abuse (Childhood or Adult)
- Traumatic Events
- Cultural Issues (Immigration and Adaptation)
- Discrimination/Barriers Issues
- Sexuality and Intimacy
- Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Issues
- Intergenerational Difficulties
- Work Place Issues
Why counselling?
The term 'counselling' is used in many and varied ways but essentially it helps people to adjust to a changed situation. Professional counselling provides an opportunity for individuals, couples, families and groups to explore experiences, thoughts, beliefs and feelings, in order to identify choices and ways of living in a more satisfying and resourceful way.
Counselling can lead to:
- Increased ability to cope with difficult times or losses in life;
- Stronger connections and attachments within relationships;
- Resolving areas of conflict in relationships;
- Breaking down barriers to productive communication and parenting;
- Increasing individuals’, couples’ and families’ capacity for experiencing life positively; and
- Relief from distressing symptoms and behaviours.
Our Staff
Our clinical counselling staff are master’s level (Counselling and Clinical Psychology, Social Work and Counselling Education) professionals registered with various professional organizations including the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors, BC Association of Social Workers , BC Chapter of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and Canadian Counselling Association.
Theories and Approaches
Counselling staff offer a diverse range of theoretical approaches to counselling including:
- Insight-Oriented/Interpersonal
- Psychodynamic-Relational
- Family Systems
- Brief Solution Focused
- Narrative
- Feminist
- Attachment
- Trauma
- Body-Centered/Body-Focused
Specialized interventions:
- Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy
- Play, Art, and Sandplay Therapies
- Body Mind Psychotherapy
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Self-Regulation Therapy (SRT)
Counselling Programs
Within counselling services there are a number of programs that offer specialized services based on identified need in the community and government contracts.
Family Counselling
Our Family Counselling program provides clinical counselling services that support personal growth and development by helping individuals, couples, families and groups cope with a range of emotional and relationship issues. Personal counselling, play and expressive therapies, trauma work and couples and family therapy are offered.
Services offered include individual, couple, family and group counselling for children, youth and adults. Self referral.
Employee Assistance
Our Employee Assistance Program offers short-term counselling, crisis and other work life services to individuals, couples, and families, under workplace coverage to deal with emotional/family related issues that become a source of stress. Employer or self referral.
Child & Adolescent Sexual Abuse
The Child & Adolescent Sexual Abuse Program offers specialized assessment and therapeutic treatment to children and youth (male and female) ages 2 – 19, who have been sexually abused. Services include individual, family, and group counselling, outreach and community education and prevention. Self referral.
Stopping the Violence
The Stopping the Violence program offers counselling to women age 19 and older who have experienced relationship violence, sexual assault or childhood abuse. Services include individual and group counselling. Self referral.
Family Support
The Family Support program provides home and community based services for children/youth identified as “at risk” and their families. Staff offer one-to-one family support services to increase strength and resiliency of families. We focus on parenting skills, family communication, conflict resolution, home management and knowledge to support healthy child development. Ministry of Children and Family Development or self referral.
Intensive Family Counselling
This family preservation program provides intensive community-based and in-home counselling services to children and families identified at risk. Staff offer a range of family preservation/reunification services that include therapeutic intervention (individual, couple, family and group counselling), individual and group based parent education and training and specialized supervised visitation. Ministry of Children and Family Development referral required.
How to Register
For self referral programs, receiving the assistance you need is quick and easy. Just phone our Intake Counsellor, Vicki, at (604) 988-5281 local 202, she will conduct a brief interview to assess your needs.
Fees for Counselling
Fees for FSNS’ counselling programs (with the exception of the Child & Adolescent Sexual Abuse, Stopping the Violence, Family Preservation and Family Support Programs) are $100 per 50 minute session. Clients may apply for our subsidized sliding fee scale which is assessed according to the client’s annual gross family income and the number of persons supported by that income. Your fee will be established during the initial telephone call with our Intake Counsellor. Fee charges can be discussed with your counsellor during the first session, if the established fee is not manageable.
Fees are payable each session by cash, cheque, Visa or MasterCard. Receipts issued for all services. Keeping appointments is essential to effective counselling and therapy. If unable to keep an appointment, 48 hours advance notice is required for cancellation or the regular fee for the session will be charged. In order to provide efficient service, please inform our receptionist of any changes to your address or telephone number.
Medical Insurance or Other Third Party Benefits
If you have medical insurance through work, or an educational institution, or other third party coverage we will ask you for the following information:
- Name of Insurance provider/Third party provider
- Coverage amount per calendar year
- Credential requirements for the counsellor
Your human resources or payroll department will be able to assist you in finding necessary information. You will need to pay for your counselling on the day of your session. We will then provide you with a receipt that includes your counsellor’s stamp (professional identification) so you can be reimbursed through your insurance provider.
Privacy and Confidentiality
Counselling sessions are private and confidential. Information can not be released about counselling services without a client's written consent. Family Services of the North Shore is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of your personal information. The information you provide to us will be used to assist in the proper administration of counselling services and to keep you informed about our programs and services. We do not release client names or their personal information under any circumstances unless required by law.
Legally mandated exceptions to this are as follows:
- Child neglect or abuse is suspected or known.
- Another person’s life is threatened or endangered.
- When suicidal risk is present.
- Court order.