Family Counselling in Victoria BC

What is Family Counselling?

Family counselling is a form of therapy that brings parents, children, and other relatives into the same conversation. Guided by a trained counsellor, family members explore patterns of communication, address conflicts, and learn practical skills to support one another.

Sessions may involve the whole family or smaller groupings, whatever best serves the goals at hand. By creating a safe, neutral space, family counselling helps everyone share their perspectives, build empathy, and develop strategies for handling challenges together. Whether you’re facing a major life transition, struggling with day-to-day tension, or simply want to strengthen your family bonds, this collaborative approach equips each person with tools to foster healthier, more supportive relationships.

Navigating Complex Family Dynamics

Every family is unique, and relationships can become complicated as life changes. At Harbour Family Counselling, we help you work through challenging situations with care, compassion, and practical strategies. Some of the more common challenges our counsellors support families with include:

• Adult siblings who want to reconnect and rebuild their relationship.

• Parents navigating separation or divorce while protecting their children’s well-being.

• ADHD and Autism (ASD) in the family, and navigating the dynamics of supporting and understanding members with unique needs.

• Grandparents seeking healthy ways to integrate into the family and support their loved ones.

• Blended families adjusting to new roles, step-siblings, and shared parenting.

• Parent-teen conflict around independence, boundaries, and communication.

• Families coping with grief or loss, finding ways to heal and support each other.

• Cultural or generational differences that create misunderstanding or distance.

No matter what your family is facing, we provide a safe, non-judgmental space where each voice is heard and respected. Together, we’ll work toward deeper understanding, stronger relationships, and a healthier family dynamic.

Longer Sessions for Deeper Family Connection

When your family comes together in a counselling session, whether it’s just you and your child or your entire family, it can take time for everyone to share their perspective and for the deeper issues to surface. In a standard one-hour session, the time often passes quickly and it can feel like there’s not enough space for everyone to truly be heard or for meaningful progress to be made.

That’s why we offer extended two-hour family sessions. These longer sessions give your family the opportunity to slow down, have thoughtful conversations, and explore complex challenges without feeling rushed. With more time, you can leave the session feeling like real progress has been made and that everyone’s voice was heard and valued.

If you’d like to learn more about longer facilited family counselling sessions, book a consultation call with Darcy Harbour, who can guide you through how these sessions work and help you decide if it’s the right fit for your family.

Our Team Approach to Parents and Children

At Harbour Family Counselling, we offer you a unique, collaborative, team-based approach to support your family. Some families thrive working with a single counsellor, while others benefit from a coordinated team model. With this approach, you as a parent work with a counsellor who specializes in parent support, while your children or teens work with a counsellor who has advanced training and experience in helping young people grow and thrive. Our team works closely together behind the scenes, sharing insights and strategies so every family member receives specialized care while you all move toward stronger connections and shared goals.

If you’re interested in learning more about building a team around your family’s needs, we recommend starting with a consultation call with Darcy Harbour, who leads our family counselling program.

Child and Parent Programs

Family counselling is most effective when everyone has the opportunity to learn and grow together. Our child and parent programs add an educational layer to therapy, helping families develop practical tools for managing emotions, strengthening relationships, and navigating challenges on the same page. These programs integrate seamlessly with counselling, giving both parents and children a supportive space to practice new skills.

Chaos to Calm is our parent support program, designed to equip parents with strategies to manage stress, improve communication, and bring more peace into the home. Through group support and guided learning, parents gain practical tools for handling daily challenges while building confidence in their ability to support their children. Learn more about Chaos to Calm ›

Mood Managers is our child support program for kids ages 8–11, focused on emotion regulation skills. In this 8-week program, children learn how to recognize, understand, and manage their feelings through interactive lessons and a personalized Mood Management Plan. Parents receive weekly updates to help reinforce the skills at home, ensuring the whole family benefits. Learn more about Mood Managers ›

Why Choose Harbour Family Counselling

At Harbour Family Counselling, everything we do begins with you and your family. We know how overwhelming it can feel when challenges seem too big to manage or when the people you love most feel out of reach. Our role is to walk alongside you, offering steady guidance and practical wisdom that helps turn confusion into clarity.

With more than two decades of experience supporting families in Victoria, our counsellors bring both professional expertise and genuine care. We understand that no two families are alike. Every story, every dynamic, and every relationship is unique, so your care should be too. That is why we take the time to listen deeply and tailor each session to your family’s specific needs.

When you choose Harbour, you are choosing a space where healing conversations can happen, where long-standing struggles can finally feel lighter, and where hope and connection can grow. Families often leave with new understanding, practical tools, and a renewed sense that what once felt insurmountable can be faced together.