When life delivers painful experiences, those memories don’t always settle on their own. For some children, teens, and adults, distressing memories can live in the body as if they’re happening right now, showing up in mood, sleep, or even physical symptoms.

When a young person is struggling, figuring out how to get help isn’t always simple. Parents often ask if they need to give permission for their child to speak to a therapist. Teens sometimes want to talk to someone without involving their family. These are real concerns, and the answers aren’t always clear-cut.

When something shifts in your child, it’s hard to know what’s normal and what might need more care. As many as 1 in 5 children and youth in Ontario will experience some form of mental health problem, yet far too many families still feel lost at that first step.

Facing a legal dispute can strain even the strongest family dynamics, and for families navigating separation or custody issues in the legal system, the emotional toll can be heavy, especially on children. These high tensions can reach the point where the court may step in and recommend or mandate family therapy as a way forward.

It can be hard to watch your child wrestle with fear or childhood anxiety. Watching your little one freeze up in an anxious moment in social settings or become too afraid to go to school can leave parents wondering if their child needs more support. In Ontario, 62% of youth have reported struggling with anxiety at some point, yet only 32% have spoken to a clinical psychologist or counselor. 

Family therapy is a big, but courageous, step toward healing, and it’s natural to wonder if it could do more harm than good. When relationships are already fragile, the idea of opening up in front of each other can feel like walking on egg shells. 

Family therapy can be a powerful path toward healing when relationships feel stuck or strained. Family relationships are affected by many factors (age and even geographical location to name a few), and while the goal for improvement is often straightforward (helping the family function better) the language used in therapy can feel overwhelming.

Maybe you’ve felt it, the tension at dinner, the silences that go on too long. When things feel strained in your family, it’s natural to wonder if therapy might help. But then so many questions quickly follow: Can we afford it?

The beginning of your journey toward mental wellness can be confusing and frustrating, especially when you're trying to figure out how to pay for it. You’ve found a counsellor who feels like a good fit for you and your family member, you're ready to begin, but that inkling of worry begins to creep in: Is family counseling covered by insurance?

Starting family counseling often comes with a mix of hope and hesitation. If you don’t know how family counseling works, it can raise a lot of fears like internal conflicts resurfacing and becoming worse, or that your family’s problems are too complicated.