Is it okay to cut off from my family?
In my Sydney family counselling practice, I see many adult families who are struggling with a difficult parent, sibling or child and are using estrangement to manage their relationships. There may be very good reasons to distance yourself from your family/a family …
How do I get my child to open up to me?
Raising resilient children who can tackle their own challenges is something we all strive for as parents. But how do we also ensure they seek our advice if they encounter a difficult problem or they feel anxious about something? Or, in their …
ADHD medication – How do children describe it?
I am a Family Counsellor who works with a lot of parents and families affected by a child’s ADHD diagnosis. Many parents come to see me because they are not on the same parenting page with decisions about medication for their child. …
Why does asking my child/teen to turn off their gaming console cause an explosion of anger?
Ever wondered why your child’s Xbox or PlayStation 4 – their most favourite thing to do in the world – can also be a complete source of misery? Why do they explode into fits of rage when you finally get them to …
Adolescent Violence and Abuse in Families
There is a lot of discussion about violence between adult partners, but very little about teenagers who are violent and abusive towards other family members. As a Family Therapist I meet many parents who feel like they are “walking on eggshells” around …
How Post-Separation Counselling Can Help you Separate well if you have Kids
Sometimes during couples counselling, the couple decide to separate. If the couple have children, they commonly ask the Couples Counsellor about ongoing counselling to help them separate well. This is called Post-Separation Counselling. It is different to mediation which is a dispute-resolution process …
Should Step-Parents Discipline?
One of the hardest parenting gigs is being a step-parent. They often find themselves expected to do parenting chores such as running kids to soccer or enduring kid-friendly dinners. They may be expected to put up with attitude from teenagers and share the …
Relationship Communication Skills – The effects of responding to your partner
The most effective way to reduce the frequency of conflict in your relationship is to build goodwill and positive sentiment; put simply, by having a good friendship. It’s very likely you have had a good friendship somewhere in the course of …
My family doesn’t believe I was sexually abused
There are many different types of sexual abuse and assault. But every single act of sexual abuse or assault leaves an imprint on the brain, and every survivor is left with ongoing trauma. There is further trauma when the abuse has occurred …
When is controlling behaviour from a partner toxic or abusive?
Many people can appear controlling in a relationship and I certainly see many examples of it in couples counselling. Often controlling behaviours show up because the person is feeling insecure or highly anxious. Anxiety fuels controlling behaviours in relationships. But there …