Intimacy Issues Family Systems

Intimacy Issues

Intimacy issues are common for people who fear vulnerability. Some people can become vulnerable in front of a few trusted friends, however, but when a relationship starts becoming too close, they feel suffocated. In this sense, the intimacy issues are seated in the fear of developing a deep and meaningful relationship with another person.

Two fears that are at the heart of intimacy issues, are the fear of abandonment (fearing the partner might leave them) and the fear of engulfment (fearing that they would lose themselves in a relationship), which sometimes co-exist. These fears, often rooted in childhood traumas, are often deeply entrenched in codependent adult relationships where they cause friction.

A therapist who works with people who have intimacy issues will first help you to learn to become comfortable with yourself and accept yourself for who you are. You will explore the complex past events that have created these intimacy issues and discover that those events don't have to cloud your present experiences.

This process is essential in discovering that rejection does not have to be a traumatic experience. Finally, you will learn how to set personal boundaries that will help you to avoid the fear of engulfment and to cope, should abandonment occur. While healing intimacy issues can be a challenging and somewhat painful task, the rewards are incredible.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who addresses intimacy issues, you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Family Systems, Family Therapy

Family Systems therapy is a type of counselling specific to helping interpersonal relationships within a family system. Family Systems counselling is facilitated by marriage and family therapists who work with the various family combinations, including siblings, couples, parent and child, or step families.

The principle of family systems counselling is to help each individual to first learn to understand his or her own emotions, and how to manage interpersonal relationships effectively, as that influences all future relationships. Once family members understand themselves and the emotional system within the family, it is easier to be flexible in relationships with family  members, marriages, community, school and other relationships.

If you are looking for a therapist who offers Family Systems Therapies, please browse our list of practitioners below..

Family Therapy is different from family systems counselling in that it focuses on relationships within the immediate family unit. It can be used as a supplement to other forms of therapy, or it can be the primary treatment plan.

Family therapy sees the unit as a whole, rather than a group of individual member, and this approach can be used to meet a range of of therapeutic outcomes. Instead of focusing on a single family member, family therapy counsellors see individual and relationship problems as the result of issues within the family dynamics. The therapist will identify issues in the patterns that contribute to problems. He or she will then help the clients to work on verbal and nonverbal communication styles to help shift patterns and bring about positive change.

If you are looking for a therapist who offers Family Therapy, please browse our list of practitioners below..

Note: You may narrow your search by selecting more than one filter below.

Abby Petterson

Abby Petterson

M.A., RCC
Abby Petterson is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and a Registered Psychotherapist (RP) offering psychotherapy and counselling services to individuals, couples and families. Abby has specialized training and... Read more
Kelly Johnson-Gahaya

Kelly Johnson-Gahaya

M.A., RCC-ACS
    • Online booking
Welcome to Healing Horizons Therapy! I am currently accepting new clients for both individual and couples' sessions. I see clients both online and in person.  To let you know a little about me, I... Read more
Tanya Elez

Tanya Elez

Ph.D., R.Psych
Dr. Tanya Elez is a Registered Psychologist and a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist who sees clients at her office in New Westminster downtown. She offers counselling services to diverse couples,... Read more
Lorne Pierce

Lorne Pierce

M.A., R.Psych
    • Online booking
I have been in private practice since 1999 providing counselling services to individuals, couples and familes. I have over 20 years experience in the helping professions in both government (federal and provincial)... Read more
Sandy Boon

Sandy Boon

M.A., RCC
IN PERSON AND SECURE VIDEO-CONFERENCE AND TELEPHONE THERAPY AVAILABLE Although not all of the last 30 plus years of Sandy's professional career has been spent exclusively practicing therapy, Sandy has... Read more
Andrea Johnson

Andrea Johnson

M.S.W., RSW
    • Online booking
I am a Registered Social Worker and Registered Marriage and Family Therapist. I help couples heal from affairs/infidelity, heal from addictions and chronic health issues, and improve conflict management. I work with... Read more
Sarah Levine

Sarah Levine

M.Ed., RCC
Welcome.  Counselling is very personal and it is crucial to have a good "fit".  My reputation is for being kind, respectful and perceptive.  I have helped people to develop... Read more