Co-parenting and separation
don't have to break your family.

Family therapy is a form of psychotherapy that helps family members improve communication, resolve conflicts, and understand each other better. At Bridge for Families, we use a circle of care approach where sessions may include parents, children, or the whole family together. We draw from Attachment Theory, Family Systems Therapy, and Solution-Focused approaches to address each family's unique needs.

The duration of family therapy depends on the complexity of the issues and the family's goals. Some families see meaningful improvement in 6-8 sessions, while others benefit from longer-term support. We start with a free 20-minute consultation to understand your situation and provide a realistic treatment timeline.

Yes, family therapy is highly effective for families navigating conflict, separation, and divorce. Research shows that therapy helps families develop healthier communication patterns, reduce conflict, and create more stable environments for children. Our therapists specialize in helping parents co-parent effectively and supporting children through difficult transitions.

We work with children of all ages, as well as teens and adults. For younger children, therapy often involves play-based and creative approaches. For teenagers, we use age-appropriate methods that respect their developing independence. We also offer sessions where parents attend alone to develop parenting strategies.

Absolutely. Many separated and divorced parents attend family therapy to improve co-parenting communication, resolve ongoing conflicts, and support their children's adjustment. Sessions can be structured flexibly — sometimes with both parents, sometimes individually, and sometimes including the children.

Yes, our family therapy services are covered by most extended healthcare plans in Ontario. As a Registered Social Worker (RSW), Lee-Anne Boucher's services are eligible for reimbursement through plans covering social work or psychotherapy, including Veterans Affairs (VAC), Blue Cross, Canada Life, and Manulife. Couples and family sessions are $200 per 50-minute session, and we provide detailed receipts for insurance claims.

Family therapy is not a substitute for legal advice, and Lee-Anne does not provide court reports or custody assessments. What therapy can do is lower the conflict that makes custody arrangements harder to live with — building clearer communication, reducing reactivity between parents, and keeping the focus on the children's wellbeing rather than the dispute. Many Ottawa parents use sessions to make a parenting plan workable in day-to-day life, even when the legal details are still being settled.

Blending two households brings real growing pains — new step-siblings, different rules in each home, loyalty conflicts, and kids who feel their place has shifted. Lee-Anne works with parents and children to set realistic expectations, pace the changes so no one feels rushed, and give each child room to express what they're feeling without being made the problem. The goal isn't an instant 'one happy family,' but a home where everyone feels heard and secure as relationships build over time.

Start with the free 20-minute consultation so Lee-Anne can hear what's working and what's straining. From there, co-parenting sessions focus on the practical handoffs — consistent routines across two homes, how you talk to the kids about the separation, and how you talk to each other without it escalating. Many parents come in before things have boiled over, and that head start makes the transition far smoother for the children.