Family Systems Therapists in British Columbia
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Eleni Anagnosti
Pre-Licensed Professional, MS, HBA, BA
My approach is compassionate, culturally attuned, and collaborative. I draw from CBT, strengths-based, solution-focused, and trauma-informed approaches to support ADHD, anxiety, depression, burnout, grief, life transitions, and relationship patterns. Together, we focus on building practical tools, emotional balance, and a stronger sense of self-trust.
Mara Behan
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
I help couples and individuals find growth, healing, and stronger connections. Using evidence-based and individualized approaches, I support those struggling with women's health concerns (e.g., pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, menopause), relationship concerns (e.g., resentment, infidelity), and life transitions (e.g., separation/divorce, parenting). I offer a free 15-minute consultation!
Sarah Perone
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
I help individuals and couples break painful relationship cycles so they can feel more connected, secure, and confident. I support concerns like recurrent conflict, relationship anxiety (and ROCD), limerence, and resentment. Using an attachment- and evidence-based approach, I offer warm, non-judgmental virtual therapy across Ontario. Book a free 15-minute consultation to get started.
Deanna Smith
Registered Therapeutic Counsellor
I help people who feel anxious, overwhelmed, or lost in their own life. Maybe you’re tired of holding it all together, reacting in ways you don’t like, or putting everyone else first and losing yourself in the process. I also support couples stuck in the same fight, feeling more like roommates, or scared to be honest.
Katharine De Santos
Registered Psychotherapist
Healthy Minds Psychotherapy was founded in 2018 with the mission of providing psychotherapeutic care to individuals from diverse backgrounds, fostering resilience in each person and our community as a whole.
Alexandra Goodall
MA, Registered Clinical Counsellor, Somatic Psychotherapist, EMDR
Somatic. Relational. Neurobiological. I am an integrative, somatically-oriented therapist. I support clients who find themselves facing change and growth, be that in relationships, contribution/vocation, trauma recovery, intergenerational legacy, sexuality or spirituality. More at www.alexandragoodalltherapy.com and www.redkitehealing.com
Li Li
Registered Psychotherapist
Li offers relational psychoanalytic and trauma-informed somatic/EMDR/IFS/EFT therapy, to support individual, couples and families in communities such as immigrants, LGBTQ+, neurodivergent (ADHD), and professionals, whose experiences resonate with her own life journey the most. She holds a compassionate, culturally attuned space where clients can express freely and rediscover their authentic self.
Melissa Andrews
Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC)
Navigating life's daily challenges and changes can sometimes feel overwhelming, leaving you unsure of the right path forward. Seeking support can feel daunting, but having someone to listen, validate your feelings, and provide a safe space, can make a difference in how you experience the journey. Collaboration is at the heart of my work. I offer compassionate support grounded in empathy, kindnes…
Matty Davison
RTCc
Hi, I'm Matty Davison. I'm a counsellor based in North Vancouver. I offer in-person as well as virtual therapy for anyone in Canada. I also work with the VCH outreach team on the north shore, and am a Hospice Volunteer. I help adults with grief, parents with support, children and adolescents. And I help adults struggling with depression, anxiety, relationship challenges, and life transitions.
Zarifa Andani
MPCC-P, RTC-C
This work isn’t about fixing your parts—it’s about helping you feel more like your whole self again. We can work together to slow down, get curious, and listen deeply. Our internal body wisdom is an integral source of information that speaks more significantly than words. Real change is possible when ALL of you feels safe enough to be seen and supported, just as you are.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Family Systems
What is family systems therapy?
Family systems therapy understands individual behaviour and psychological difficulties within the context of the family as a whole — a system with its own patterns, rules, roles, communication styles, and history that shapes each member's experience. Rather than treating the "identified patient" (the person presenting with problems) in isolation, family systems approaches look at how family dynamics create, maintain, and potentially resolve those problems. The family system itself is the unit of treatment.
What are the main family systems therapy models?
Major family systems models include Bowen Family Systems Therapy (focused on differentiation of self from the family emotional system across generations), Structural Family Therapy (Salvador Minuchin — focused on family structure, boundaries, and hierarchy), Strategic Family Therapy (focused on communication patterns and problem-maintaining behavioural sequences), Milan Systemic Therapy, and Internal Family Systems (IFS — an individual therapy based on applying systems thinking to the internal "parts" of one person). Each has distinct techniques and theoretical emphases.
Who participates in family systems therapy?
Family systems therapy can involve the whole family, subsystems (parents only, siblings only, one parent and child), or even a single individual working with a family systems framework. Family systems concepts — such as triangulation, enmeshment, differentiation, and transmission of intergenerational patterns — are also applied in individual therapy without other family members present. Who participates depends on the specific concern, the family's willingness and availability, and the therapeutic goals.
What issues does family systems therapy address?
Family systems therapy is particularly effective for parent-child conflicts, family communication breakdown, adolescent behavioural problems, eating disorders (where family dynamics are often central), substance use, grief and loss in families, blended family challenges, and the impact of mental illness on the family system. It is also used to address intergenerational transmission — when patterns of trauma, addiction, or dysfunction repeat across generations and the individual wants to understand and interrupt them.
Can I benefit from family systems therapy if other family members won't participate?
Yes — individual therapy grounded in family systems thinking is valuable and widely used. Bowen Theory in particular is designed for individual work; even with one person in therapy, the therapist helps them understand their family system, work on differentiating from the emotional field, and change their own position in family relationships — which can produce significant ripple effects in the system without other members being physically present in sessions.