Family Therapy & Counselling in Ottawa
Evidence-Based Care
Family Therapy at Life Seasons Counselling combines proven therapeutic techniques — including CBT, ACT, and EFT — with personalized care tailored to your unique circumstances and goals.
Collaborative Approach
Our experienced therapists work alongside you to develop practical strategies that promote lasting change. We create a safe, non-judgmental space where you can explore concerns openly at your own pace.
Flexible & Accessible
Located in Kanata, we offer both in-person and online sessions across Ontario. Book a free consultation to discuss how family therapy can support your journey.
Understanding Family Therapy in Ottawa
Family therapy in Ottawa usually starts with one exhausted person — often a parent — deciding that the way things are going at home cannot continue. Maybe dinner ends in shouting more nights than not. Maybe a teenager has gone silent, a blended family is not blending, adult siblings are fighting over how to care for an ageing parent, or a separation has left everyone unsure how to be a family now. Family counselling is built for exactly these situations. Rather than treating one person as the problem, we look at the patterns between people — who pursues, who withdraws, who keeps the peace at their own expense — and help the family change the pattern instead of blaming a member.
Our approach to family counselling in Ottawa draws on Emotionally Focused Therapy adapted for families, attachment-based work, and structured communication tools families can actually use at the dinner table. Sessions are 50 minutes, and the configuration flexes with the work: some weeks the whole family attends, other weeks your therapist meets with parents alone or with a teenager one-on-one. We help each family member say the harder, truer thing underneath the criticism — the worry underneath a parent's nagging, the hurt underneath a teen's contempt — because families change when members finally hear each other, not when someone wins the argument. Between sessions you will have concrete practices to try at home, and we adjust based on what actually happens.
Family therapy is appropriate for parents and teens (we work with ages 14 and up), separated and divorced co-parents, blended families finding their footing, and adult children navigating strained relationships with parents or siblings. We see families from Kanata, Stittsville, Barrhaven, and across Ottawa in person at our Kakulu Road office, and via secure video anywhere in Ontario. If you are not sure whether family therapy or individual counselling is the right starting point, book a free 20-minute consultation — we will listen to what is happening at home and give you an honest recommendation, even if that recommendation is not us.
What to Expect in Your Family Therapy Sessions
A supportive, confidential environment where you'll work collaboratively towards your goals using evidence-based therapeutic approaches. Our experienced therapists provide personalized care designed to meet your specific needs and circumstances.
During your family therapy sessions, you'll engage in meaningful conversations, learn practical coping strategies, and develop skills that extend beyond the therapy room. We believe in empowering you with tools and insights that support long-term growth and positive change. Book a free consultation or contact us to learn more about how we can support your journey.
Initial Assessment
Comprehensive evaluation of your concerns, goals, and personal history to create a tailored treatment plan.
Evidence-Based Therapy
Proven therapeutic techniques customized to your unique needs and circumstances.
Ongoing Support
Regular check-ins, homework assignments, and continuous adjustment of your treatment plan.
Key Benefits of Family Therapy
Family communication improvement
Learn structured communication tools your family can actually use at the dinner table, so the harder, truer things get said and heard.
Conflict de-escalation at home
Slow down the conversations that usually escalate, change the pattern between family members, and stop treating one person as the problem.
Parent-teen relationship repair
Help a parent and teenager hear the worry underneath the nagging and the hurt underneath the contempt, so the relationship can reconnect.
Blended family adjustment
Support blended families finding their footing — new roles, divided loyalties, and household expectations that never got negotiated out loud.
Co-parenting after separation
Help separated and divorced co-parents communicate across households in ways that protect kids from the fallout.
Support through family transitions
Steady guidance through separation, adolescence, moves, and caring for ageing parents — the transitions that strain even close families.
Therapeutic Approaches Used
Evidence-based therapeutic techniques tailored to your unique needs and circumstances. Our therapists are trained in multiple approaches. Schedule a consultation to discuss which approach is best for you.
Emotionally Focused Family Therapy
Adapts Emotionally Focused Therapy for families — helping each member say the harder, truer thing underneath criticism so others can finally hear it.
Attachment-Based Family Work
Looks at the patterns between people — who pursues, who withdraws, who keeps the peace — and helps the family change the pattern instead of blaming a member.
Structured Communication Skills
Concrete communication and repair practices families take home and try between sessions, with adjustments based on what actually happens.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about family therapy and what to expect. Have more questions? Contact us or book a free consultation.
What happens in a family therapy session?
Sessions run 50 minutes and focus on the patterns between family members rather than on deciding who is at fault. Your therapist slows down the conversations that usually escalate at home, helps each person say what is actually going on underneath the criticism or silence, and teaches concrete communication and repair skills to practise between sessions. Depending on the week, we may meet with the whole family, parents alone, or a teen one-on-one.
Does the whole family need to attend every session?
No. Family therapy is flexible by design. Some sessions include everyone, while others involve just the parents, one parent and a teen, or an individual family member. Your therapist will recommend a configuration based on what the family is working on, and it often changes as therapy progresses. Meaningful change is possible even when one family member is unable or unwilling to participate.
Can family therapy help if one person refuses to come?
Yes. Family systems shift when any member changes their part in the pattern, so we regularly begin with whoever is willing — often a parent — and work on communication, boundaries, and responses from there. Reluctant family members frequently join later once they notice the tone at home changing. A free 20-minute consultation is a good place to strategise a starting point for your situation.
How much does family therapy cost in Ottawa?
Family therapy at Life Seasons is $160-$190 per 50-minute session. Psychotherapy is HST-exempt in Ontario, and we provide detailed receipts so you can claim sessions through private insurance plans that cover Registered Psychotherapists — most extended health plans in Ontario do. We also offer a free 20-minute consultation before you commit to anything, so you can meet your therapist and ask questions first.
Related Services
Other counselling services that may complement your family therapy journey. View our complete list of services or contact us to discuss your needs.
Professional Family Therapy in Ottawa
Located in Kanata, Ottawa, we provide specialized family therapy services to clients across Ottawa and Kanata, with secure virtual sessions available throughout Ontario. Our evidence-based approach combines proven therapeutic techniques with personalized care to help you achieve lasting positive change.
The work begins with a thorough assessment of your current situation, concerns, and goals, and becomes a personalized plan that builds on your existing strengths and resources.
Why Choose Life Seasons Counselling?
Areas We Serve
We offer family therapy in person at our Kanata office at 99 Kakulu Road, and by secure video across Ontario. Learn more about counselling in the communities we serve:
Ready to Start Your Journey?
Take the first step towards better mental health and stronger relationships. Request your free consultation today and begin your path to positive change.