Divorce and/or Separation, Child Stress and Trauma Solution Focused Therapy

Divorce and/or Separation, Child Stress and Trauma

Breaking the vow of "till death do us part" and getting divorced has been listed on the list of top things that people fear. The end of a marriage can indeed cause incredible confusion, sadness, grief, anger, guilt, fear, anxiety and shame. Not only does the end of a marriage affect a couple, but also the children.

Issues that can cause a marriage to fail include criticism, lack of respect, defensiveness, and aloofness, to name a few. Dealing with these issues might save a marriage. Mediation therapy can help couples even before a divorce, when the signs of marital disintegration starts to show. Couples therapy is an excellent tool at that point in a marriage to see whether saving the marriage is a viable option, and if it's not, it can help them find ways to reach settlements, move forward, and co-parent in a healthy and constructive way.

For children going through the divorce of their parents, therapy is critical. While parents are facing the realities of divorce and the emotional trauma, they often don't have the time or inclination to help their children deal with their sense of abandonment, pain, loss or guilt. Children may even feel that they are to blame for their parents' problems. Therapy can help children to come to terms with these issues and find strategies to move forward in a positive way.

In the case where couples counselling is not an option, a therapist can help the person who was left behind deal with the grief from the divorce. Therapy is aimed at empowering the individual to overcome grief and negative emotions and to move forward as a single person.

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

Children today are exposed to much more trauma than we were twenty or thirty years ago, and that's why child trauma counselling is such an important tool to help them cope. Once off events, such as sexual abuse, domestic violence, bullying, life-threatening illnesses, natural disasters, or war can leave a child scarred for life.

Long-term exposure to poverty, verbal abuse or milder types of abuse are traumatic too, in fact that can be as devastating to a child as a single catastrophic event.

As with adults, every child has a different way of dealing with similar circumstances or events. Not every person who experiences the same event will become traumatized, but exposure to trauma can result in a variety of symptoms including nightmares, bedwetting, anxiety, depression, disdain for authority, poor grades, moodswings, substance abuse, and self-harm.

Both cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and a range of other therapies can be helpful in treating children who have been exposed to short term trauma. Therapists will usually work with the child on a one-on-one basis to help the child restructure negative thought patterns and self esteem (in the case of abuse, etc.) before calling in the family for family counselling. Family counselling is a great way for the family to find common ground, build problem-solving skills and to help the parents to re-establish themselves as the authority figures in the home.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist with specialized traing in trauma counselling for children you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

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

Derian Julihn

M.A., RCC
    • Online booking
Hi, I’m Derian Julihn (he/him/his). I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and a Canadian Clinical Counsellor (CCC) practicing in Langley. I have almost 20 years of experience supporting vulnerable youth and... Read more

Sarah Welton

M.Ed., CCC
    • Online booking
When your child isn’t doing well, it hurts you. Children can have big feelings and challenging behaviour. This can be a major life stressor. Behaviours get in the way of family time being playful and fun, and... Read more

David Brown

M.S.W., RCSW
Most of us want to make changes and improvements in our life, yet we tend to rely on the same old approaches (or habits) despite our best intentions. My approach to counselling is to support people to experiment with... Read more
    • Online booking
Hello, I am Autumn (RCC#19849)! I have been working in the mental health field since 2010. My goal is to bring community together through healing children, teens, families and adults while providing connection with... Read more

Shea Talbot

M.A., RCC
    • Online booking
My passion to be a counsellor was sparked by witnessing the challenges faced by close family and friends dealing with mental health issues growing up. I believe that each person has the power within themselves to make... Read more

Jay Hails

M.Ed., CCC
    • Online booking
My strength lies in helping you identify and celebrate your own unique strengths. The fact that you're looking here for help already tells me you're strong. If you’re overwhelmed or stuck, or you’... Read more

Giulia Santaca

M.A., RCC
    • Online booking
My name is Giulia (Julia) Santaca and I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor in British Columbia. I have always been motivated to work with children, adolescents, couples and families to help them positively deal with... Read more

Adrian Juric

M.A., CCC
    • Video on profile
    • Blog on profile
    • Online booking
To all appearances you’ve got a great life. You’re smart, driven, & successful. But privately, you sometimes struggle under the weight of negative thoughts and beliefs about who you are, what you are... Read more

ivania Redpath

M.A., RCC
    • Online booking
My clients come from diverse backgrounds and live with anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, loss, and attachment dysregulation. I offer virtual counselling and in person counselling for adults and children, in addition... Read more

kristina sohal

M.Couns., RCC
EMDR, Exposure, and CBT -Trauma Therapy for Car Accidents, Work Injuries,  Domestic Abuse, and Childhood Trauma Do you feel lost and isolated after a Traumatic event, or it is the past Trauma that just won... Read more

Desiree Blume

M.A., RCC
    • Online booking
I am a registered clinical counsellor who has worked therapeutically with children, adults, couples and families for over a decade.  I will offer you a safe and caring environment where you can identify and... Read more

Coleen Adderley

M.A., RCC
Coleen is the Founder and Clinical Director of Reflective Soul Counselling. She is passionate about helping others and believes that each obstacle we face only makes us that much stronger.   Coleen has over... Read more

Erika Riedlinger

M.C., RCC
    • Online booking
Hello and welcome. My name is Erika (she/her), and I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor serving individuals (ages 12+) online and in-person on the Sunshine Coast, BC. Areas of Practice: Some of the reasons people... Read more