Families are complicated. Getting support for that isn't a sign that something is wrong with yours — it's a sign that you care about it.
✓ Same-week ✓ Direct billing ✓ Sliding scale ✓ Licensed therapists
Book a free consultationEvery clinician is registered with a regulatory college — the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO), the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW), or the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO).
We want therapy to be financially accessible for everyone. Reduced rates are available case-by-case based on need and availability.
We submit directly to most major insurers, so you don't pay out of pocket upfront.
Our office is in Ottawa. All client records are stored in Canada and handled under PIPEDA and PHIPA.
Therapy is a space to slow down and look at what's underneath. These are some of the patterns people bring into the room.
FOR WHEN SOMETHING FEELS OFF
A move, a divorce, a new baby, a death, a child leaving home, a parent returning to work. Major changes stress even strong family systems. Family counselling can give everyone a place to land.
Conversations go in circles. No one feels understood. The same issues come up repeatedly without resolution. The emotional distance is growing.
Two families coming together brings real complexity: loyalty conflicts, different parenting styles, step-relationships that are still forming, children adjusting to a new family structure. Counselling can help you navigate it with intention.
Family counselling at Auren Wellness takes a systemic view — it looks at what's happening between people, not just what's happening inside any one person. Patterns in families develop over time and often have logic to them, even when the pattern is painful. Understanding the logic is usually the first step to changing it. We draw on family systems approaches and emotion-focused approaches to help families communicate more clearly, understand each other's experience, and build stronger connection across the generations. We work with the full family together in most sessions, and we may also schedule individual or sub-group sessions (parents only, children only) when that serves the work. We aim not to take sides. Our role is to help the family see itself more clearly and build better tools for navigating what's hard. For families dealing specifically with conflict between parents and children, see our page on therapy for parent-child conflict.
Email, phone, or fill out our booking form. There's no script and no pressure. You can share as much or as little as you want.
A real person, not a bot, will reply as soon as we can with a few options for a free 15-minute consultation.
We listen. You ask questions. No paperwork, no obligation. If we're not the right match, we'll point you toward someone who might be.
Direct billing where possible. Evening and weekend availability. Virtual or in-person in Ottawa.
Sessions are 50 minutes in length. Rates vary by therapist and are confirmed during your free consultation. We accept e-transfer and credit cards, and direct-bill most insurers.
Sliding-scale spots are available based on need. Ask during your free consultation.
Same 50-minute format, structured for two participants and shared concerns.
Registered Psychotherapist and Registered Social Worker services are covered by most extended health plans in Canada. We recommend confirming your specific coverage before your first paid session. Sun Life, Manulife, Canada Life, Green Shield, and most major insurers include coverage.
We direct-bill where your insurer allows it. Otherwise, you pay at the time of session and submit the receipt for reimbursement.
Every session generates a receipt listing the provider's license number, suitable for insurance reimbursement.
In-person sessions are held at our Ottawa office. Virtual sessions use a secure, PIPEDA-compliant video platform. You can switch between the two.
We ask for 24 hours notice on cancellations. Late cancellations and no-shows are charged the full session fee.
After the free 15-minute consultation, your first paid session is intake-focused. Bring questions, anything you have already tried, and any goals you have in mind.
QUESTIONS
Typically, the people who are most involved in the concern that brought you in. For a nuclear family, that might be both parents and the children. For a blended family, it might include step-parents and stepchildren. We'll talk through who makes most sense to include during your free consultation.
Family counselling can begin with the family members who are willing to attend. Sometimes people join later as the dynamic shifts. We can also work with parents or other sub-groups when certain members aren't ready or willing to participate.
Coverage varies by plan and insurer. Some extended health plans cover sessions with Registered Psychotherapists for family counselling; others don't. We recommend confirming with your insurer before your first appointment.
It depends on what you're working through. Many families see meaningful progress in eight to twelve sessions. Families navigating more complex situations or long-standing patterns often work over a longer period. We'll give you a realistic estimate once we understand the situation.
Yes. Online family counselling works well for many families, particularly when schedules or geography make in-person sessions difficult. Everyone joins from the same location or from separate devices. Sessions use a secure, PIPEDA-compliant platform. ---
In practice the terms overlap and we use them interchangeably. Both give your family a structured, supported space to work on communication, conflict, transitions, or a dynamic that's become stuck. What matters is the fit with your family, not the label.
No. Many families come simply because they want stronger communication, or they can feel something drifting and would rather address it now than later. Wanting things to be better in your family is reason enough.
Sessions are 50 minutes. Rates vary by therapist and are confirmed during your free 15-minute consultation. We accept e-transfer and credit, direct-bill where your insurer allows, and hold a limited number of sliding-scale spots. Full details are on our fair-fee page.
Psychotherapy isn't covered by OHIP, but most extended health plans cover sessions with a Registered Psychotherapist or Registered Social Worker. Check whether your plan lists those services under mental health, and we'll direct-bill where your insurer allows.
It depends on what you're working through. Some families come for a handful of sessions focused on a specific issue; others stay longer. We review how things are going regularly, and you're not locked into a fixed number of sessions.
Therapy is a longer-term relationship. If you're in acute distress, please reach the services below first. They are free, confidential, and available right now.
