When family life feels tense, disconnected, or overwhelming, it can be hard to know where to start. Should you look for family counselling, parenting counselling, or even parent–child therapy?
Each approach offers powerful support — but they focus on different layers of your family’s emotional world. Understanding the difference can help you choose the best path toward calm, connection, and cooperation at home.
This guide explains how each approach works, when to choose one over the other, and how families in Calgary (and the surrounding areas of Airdrie, Cochrane, and Okotoks) can get started.
What Is Family Counselling?
Family counselling (also called family therapy) helps families improve communication, strengthen relationships, and work through challenges together.
At Eckert Psychology & Education Centre, our approach is grounded in Family Systems Therapy, which views the family as an interconnected emotional system. When one person struggles — whether a child, teen, or parent — everyone feels it.
Family counselling focuses on common concerns such as:
- Communication breakdowns and ongoing conflict
- Major life transitions such as separation, blending families, or loss
- Emotional or behavioural challenges that affect the whole household
- Unhelpful family patterns that keep everyone stuck
Rather than identifying a “problem person,” the therapist helps everyone understand how they influence one another and how the family can function as a supportive team.
Family counselling moves families from blame to balance and from disconnection to collaboration. Sessions often include multiple family members together, allowing real-time practice of new communication and problem-solving skills.
What Is Parenting Counselling?
Parenting counselling (sometimes called parent coaching or parent guidance therapy) focuses on the relationship between parent and child, even when the child isn’t in the room.
Drawing from attachment theory, the Circle of Security Parenting model, and modern frameworks like Dr. Becky Kennedy’s “Good Inside,” parenting counselling helps caregivers feel more confident, calm, and connected.
- Parenting counselling helps with:
- Managing challenging behaviour (tantrums, defiance, anxiety)
- Setting limits with empathy and consistency
- Understanding a child’s emotions and developmental needs
- Reducing parental guilt, stress, and burnout
- Strengthening emotional connection and trust
The core belief is that both parent and child are good inside, even in tough moments. A child’s behaviour isn’t defiance — it’s communication. Parenting counselling helps you interpret those signals and respond with compassion and firmness.
Parents learn to become both a secure base (supporting independence) and a safe haven (offering comfort when emotions run high). Over time, they build emotional regulation, confidence, and resilience in themselves and their children.
Parent–Child Therapy at Eckert Centre
Sometimes, the most effective work happens with parents and children together in session.
At Eckert Centre, our therapists may recommend parent–child counselling when it’s helpful to strengthen attachment, rebuild trust, or practice emotional co-regulation in real time.
These sessions are often play-based, experiential, and highly engaging — designed to help parents and children connect through joy, attunement, and shared experiences.
Kymberley Calhoun, one of our Registered Psychologists, is specially trained in Theraplay, an evidence-based, attachment-focused approach that helps repair and deepen the parent–child relationship through guided play and structured nurturing interactions.
- Theraplay-informed sessions can be especially helpful for:
- Children who are anxious, avoidant, or withdrawn
- Families healing after conflict or separation
- Parents wanting to rebuild safety and connection with their child
Which Type of Counselling Is Right for You?
If you’re not sure where to begin, consider this:
- Choose family counselling if the entire family system feels out of balance — for example, there’s ongoing conflict, repeated miscommunication, or major transitions like divorce or blending families.
- Choose parenting counselling if you want focused guidance as a parent — to understand your child’s behaviour, strengthen your connection, and learn tools for calmer, more confident parenting.
- Choose parent–child therapy (Theraplay-informed) if you want to experience connection together in the room — rebuilding safety and joy through structured, nurturing play.
Sometimes, families start with parent-only counselling and later move into parent–child or full family sessions as relationships feel safer and more open. Your therapist will help you decide the best path.
Either way, reaching out for help is a sign of strength, growth, and commitment to your family’s well-being.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I come to counselling without my child?
Yes. Parenting counselling is designed specifically for parents to receive guidance, even if children aren’t present.
Do you offer joint parent–child sessions?
Absolutely. Many families benefit from Theraplay-informed sessions, where parent and child reconnect through playful, guided interaction.
What if my teen refuses to join family therapy?
That’s common. We can start by supporting parents individually until the teen feels ready to participate.
How many sessions does it take to see change?
Most families begin noticing improvement after 8 sessions. Sustainable results often develop through consistent support over several months.
Do you offer in-person and online options?
Yes. We provide in-person sessions in North and South Calgary, and secure online counselling anywhere in Alberta.
Why Families Choose Eckert Centre
For over 20 years, Eckert Psychology & Education Centre has been caring for families in Calgary, offering wrap-around services in counselling, assessment, and learning supports.
Our team of experienced psychologists and counsellors specialize in:
- Family Systems Therapy for couples and families
- Attachment-based parenting support including Circle of Security - Parenting and Theraplay (Parent Support Counselling)
- Neurodiversity-affirming care for children with ADHD, ASD, or learning challenges
- Faith-based counselling for families who wish to integrate their beliefs
Whether you’re a parent seeking guidance or a family ready to rebuild connection, we’re here to help you find calm, cooperation, and confidence again.
Take the Next Step
You don’t have to navigate family tension alone.
Book a free 15-minute consultation today to discover whether family counselling, parenting counselling, or parent–child therapy is the right starting point for your family.
Our clinicians serve clients in North and South Calgary, with both in-person and online options available.
About the Author
Alicia Fairweather, B.A., M.C., CCC
Certified Canadian Counsellor
Alicia Fairweather is a Certified Canadian Counsellor at Eckert Psychology & Education Centre in Calgary, Alberta. She provides counselling for adults, couples, and families, with a special focus on parenting and family connection. Alicia helps parents and children build calm, understanding, and emotional safety through attachment-based, evidence-informed approaches.
