New Chapters: A Mississauga Family Separation Counselling program.

Our intial focus wil be to determine where you and your family are at in terms of Separation. We typically describe families as being in one of four phases of transition: Early Phase, Transition/Adjustment Phase, Stabilization Phase, and Maintenance Phase.

Once we determine where you’re at, we can assess your needs and begin providing support for you and your family members immediately.

Family members will be matched with therapists for individual counselling and support. You will also be assigned a Family Supervisor who will meet with you periodically (as needed or when requested) for Family Therapy sessions. These sessions can be online (anywhere in Ontario) or in-person out of our location in South Mississauga.

Parents attend sessions separately or together as is appropriate with particular family dynamics to learn more about effective strategies for navigating the challenges associated with their phase of separation, best supporting their children, and taking care of themselves during this stressful time for the family.

Children participate in weekly individual therapy sessions to develop a safe space for them to process their feelings and learn valuable skills for coping with their emotions during the transition of separation. Your child will receive support and skills in regulating emotions, interpersonal effectiveness and building self-esteem.

If parents are not attending parent sessions together, your program may include separate coparenting sessions to support parents with coparenting and mediating any issues or conflicts that may arise.

When needed or requested, your family will meet with the supervisor overseeing your family’s Separation Counselling Program. Not all members are required to attend.

Families are given support appropriate to the individual family members’ needs and to support the family as a whole. This support may include some or all of the following:

• CBT Therapy (Cognivite Behavioural Therapy)

• DBT Therapy (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy) for emotional regulaton, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness

• Trauma Therapy (if needed, our therapists can support with trauma therapy)

• Gottman Method or Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for relationship skills including communication, conflict resolution, and the development of a shared vision and goals for the family (individually and as a whole)

• Solution Focused Therapy and Collaborative Problem Solving

Throughout the duration of your time in the Family Separation Counselling Program, you will have a supervisor overseeing your family’s progress. We will have regular check-ins and your family’s progress will be reviewed regularly. You will have not just one therapist, but a team of therapists supporitng your family.

We will support our families in the program with referrals and resources such as:

• Legal

• Financial

• Medical

• Educational

• Spiritual

and other supports. We believe in a circle of care - you are not alone and will ensure you have a village behind you and your family during this time.