Reunification Therapy in Airdrie & Canmore
Reunification therapy, also known as repair or reconciliation therapy, is a specialized form of family therapy with the goal of working through the dynamics that led to a parent being out of their child's life for an extended period of time. Offered at our Airdrie and Canmore offices, in person and virtually.
When reunification therapy is appropriate
This process is child-centred yet therapist-directed. It seeks to repair the relationship when one parent has been out of the child's life for a period of time, when a child is resisting or refusing to engage with a parent, or when there are other parent-child contact problems. It is a family intervention: individual child therapy or dyadic therapy cannot remedy a family systems problem.
Reunification therapy is based on the premise that it is in the best interest of the child to have a relationship with both parents, in the absence of abuse or neglect issues.
It is not recommended where there are concerns for a child's safety with the parent, or where the favoured parent does not support contact. In those circumstances, an evaluation of the family dynamics may be required to ascertain whether a family intervention would be helpful.
If your difficulty is conflict between parents rather than a broken parent-child relationship, our co-parenting counselling may be the better fit.
How the process works
The intervention moves through three phases.
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Information gathering: individual parent intakes to review the process, explore the family history, screen for family violence, and understand the children, followed by individual and sibling sessions with the children to build trust and understand their concerns.
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Preparation: parent coaching, safety planning, symptom reduction, and readiness work, because a child's needs and concerns must be understood and addressed before joint sessions can be arranged.
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Connection: carefully structured joint parent-child sessions, followed by family enhancement sessions.
The process is fluid, with sessions arranged in response to the presenting issues as they arise, and typically involves 20 to 40 hours. Reunification therapy is often court-ordered; however, private referrals may be considered where parents are low conflict and have the support of their lawyers.
Like any therapeutic approach, reunification therapy does not guarantee a successful reunification of child and parent. It is a supportive process, providing psychoeducation and counselling support, and success is driven by the parents' ability to work together and put the needs of their child first. It is most helpful to view success as a focus on the process rather than the outcome, celebrating small steps along the way.
For individual support for your child, see our child and adolescent therapy.
Family Repair Therapy
For families who are low conflict, where there has been no long absence between contact, and where the focus is resist-refuse dynamics, we offer Family Repair Therapy: a voluntary process to support the rebuilding of a parent-child relationship.
In this closed therapeutic model, there is no reporting to the Court or to lawyers. Feedback is provided to parents at the time of the session or by email. Families typically participate in 8 to 12 hours of intervention, including parent intakes, a child intake, preparation sessions, and three joint parent-child sessions. Children or parents may also be requested to meet with a member of our therapy team to process information from joint sessions, strengthen their skills, and receive additional therapeutic support.
Family Repair Therapy is billed at the family rate of $275 per session. A retainer of $550, from each parent, paid by e-transfer in advance of the first session, is applied to the initial intake sessions for parent and child.
Fees and how to begin
Court-ordered work is billed at the forensic rate of $425 per hour, with a retainer required in advance. Non-court-ordered work is billed at $275 to $375 per hour depending on complexity. Reunification therapy is a family intervention, and a portion of the fee may be covered by extended benefit plans; parents are encouraged to inquire directly with their insurance provider.
These sessions cannot be booked online. Please call the office at 403-448-0048 to arrange an intake. Both parents must agree to the service before it begins.
Why families and counsel choose Child Inspired
Led by Dr. Michelle Soucy Dahl, Ph.D., Registered Psychologist with over 25 years of experience, and a Parenting Expert for the Court.
Maintains professional registrations with the Psychological Association of Alberta and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC).
A collaborative team of therapists, from our doctoral-level Registered Psychologist to our Certified Counsellors.
Direct billing available for straightforward matters; two offices: one in Airdrie and one in Canmore.
Rebuilding a parent-child relationship takes time
Whether you are a parent hoping to rebuild a relationship with your child, or a lawyer considering a therapeutic intervention for a family, we are glad to discuss whether this process is appropriate.
Airdrie office: Suite 240, 52 Gateway Dr. NE, Airdrie, AB T4B 0J6 | Canmore office: Canmore Health and Wellness Centre, 705 9th Street, Canmore, AB T1W 3L8 | 403-448-0048