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    Family Therapy

    Using Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) and other models, Shift psychologists and psychotherapists work to provide a sense of safety in couples’ and family treatment sessions, de-escalating conflicts and helping people fix communication problems in relationships.

    There is no blame within our therapies, only efforts to bring people who care about each other closer together, so they can express what they really need from the relationship. Often, this takes the form of ‘translating’ behaviours so everyone understands the real intentions, instead of jumping to conclusions and reacting to the wrong things.

    Family therapy is often short-term and specific to a current challenge. It might include all members of the family, or just those who are able or willing to participate. Your treatment plan will depend on your family’s situation. Family therapy sessions can teach you skills to deepen your connections and get through stressful times, even after you have completed your therapy sessions.

    Rebuilding Family Connections

    Misunderstandings about what people are really trying to say can strain connections between people. For example, a husband might withdraw from his wife when he sees that her face looks angry and hears her say: “You’re never around!” We work to help both partners really understand what the wife’s meaning might be; that her expression might be less of a criticism and more of protest about the emotional distance she feels between them.

    At Shift Cognitive Therapy we understand that us humans use cold detachment to protect ourselves emotionally. Much like a hard callous protects sensitive skin, we figure no one can hurt us when don’t allow ourselves to care. When providing family and couples therapy, our psychologists and registered psychotherapists focus on helping you rebuild the important connections with the people closest to you.