Navigating Couples and Family Issues
Some of what brings people to therapy can’t be solved by working on yourself alone. A marriage that’s gone quiet in the wrong way. A teenager you can no longer reach. Parents whose worry has turned into control, or children who’ve stopped calling. A family that immigrated together but never recovered the closeness they had before the move.
Couples and family work is for the times when the work has to happen in the relationship, not just in the individuals.
What I work with
Couples therapy. For the slow drift apart, the conflict that keeps repeating, the trust that’s been damaged. We work on communication, attachment patterns, and (if it’s there) the cultural overlay.
Family conflict and boundaries. When grown children and parents can’t figure out where one ends and the other begins. When siblings can’t be in the same room. When the family system is keeping someone stuck.
Parenting support. For parents trying to do better than they were done by. ADHD kids, anxious kids, kids growing up in a culture different from yours.
Intergenerational trauma. The patterns that get passed down without anyone meaning to. War, migration, silence — my central focus for twenty years.
Cultural and immigration dynamics. Iranian-Canadian families especially — the loss of role, the dual identity, the conversations that can’t happen in either language, the aabroo that keeps everyone silent.
Life transitions that affect a relationship. A move, a birth, a death, an illness, a child leaving, a retirement, an affair.
What sessions look like
Couples sessions: 75 or 90 minutes, in person or online. Usually weekly to start. Family sessions: 60 to 90 minutes depending on who’s in the room. I work in English and Farsi. Sessions are $150 CAD for 60 minutes (longer pro-rata). Direct-billing for ICBC, CVAP, FNHA, IFHP, VAC, and RCMP.
Dr. Samuel, RCC, CCC — Registered Clinical Counsellor & Canadian Certified Counsellor with a Doctorate in Health Sciences and 20+ years’ experience (10+ in Trauma & PTSD). He works with 50+ clients at Fraser Health Authority, in English & Farsi, and is ICBC- and FNHA-approved.
★★★★★
“From the very first session, he created a safe, calm, and supportive environment that made it easy for me to open up.”
★★★★★
“One of the most positive and transformative experiences I have had in therapy.”
Ready to talk? Your first 20 minutes are free.
No forms, no commitment, no pressure to book a session — just an honest conversation about therapy, neurofeedback, fees, or whatever you’d like to ask. Not sure what to say? Just say “I saw your website.” That’s enough.
Articles on this topic
Couples & Family
Life Transitions
For Iranian-Canadian families
- Talking to Iranian Family About Therapy
- Therapy and Iranian-Islamic Culture
- The Iranian-Canadian Generational Gap
- Therapy Confidentiality for Iranian-Canadians
- Migration Grief
- Couples Therapy for Iranian-Canadian Couples
- Supporting a Depressed Iranian Family Member
- Long-Distance Grief for Iranian Parents
به فارسی — پرسشهای متداول
Ready to talk? Your first 20 minutes are free. Call or text any day between 9am and 9pm.
