Does this sound familiar?
Families rarely come to therapy because they stopped caring. They come because caring started to feel like a fight. You might notice:
- Dinner turns into an argument, or no one talks at all.
- You and your teen seem to speak different languages.
- Parents disagree about rules, discipline, or screen time.
- A separation, blended family, or new baby has shifted everything.
- Adult siblings or parents keep reopening the same old hurts.
- Different cultures or generations under one roof keep clashing.
None of this means your family is broken. It means the way you have been coping is not working as well as it used to, and that can change with support.
What families work on in therapy
Every family is different, so sessions are shaped around your relationships and goals. Common reasons families reach out include:
Communication and conflict
Learning to listen without defending, say what you need, and repair after a hard conversation.
Parents and teens
Rebuilding trust and connection during the teen years. When a teen also wants their own space, see our teen therapy page.
Separation and blended families
Supporting children and adults through divorce, co-parenting, and new family structures.
Adult children and aging parents
Navigating old roles, caregiving, and boundaries. Our boundaries and relationships page explores this further.
Grief and big transitions
A death, an illness, a move, or immigration can change how a family works. Our grief counselling page covers loss in more depth.
Cultural and bilingual families
When generations or partners feel more at home in different languages or cultures, sessions in English or Spanish can help everyone be heard.
Parent support
Sometimes the most helpful first step is support for the parents. Parent support sessions give you a calm space to talk through behaviour, connection, co-parenting, and your own stress, without your child in the room. Together we look at what is happening underneath the behaviour, what your child may need from you, and what you need to stay steady.
Parents often tell us they feel exhausted, lonely, or full of second-guessing even though they love their kids deeply. That is very common. You do not have to have it all figured out to ask for help, and caring for yourself is part of caring for your family.
If your own anxiety or low mood is making parenting harder, individual support like our anxiety therapy or workplace burnout therapy may help alongside family sessions.
A bilingual space for families
Many families in Ontario live between two languages. A grandparent may feel most at home in Spanish, while the kids switch to English mid-sentence. Agustina is bilingual and can hold sessions in English, Spanish, or a mix of both, so each person can say what they mean in the language that feels most natural.
We are also curious about culture: the expectations, values, and family roles that come with it. Family therapy can make room for these differences instead of treating them as the problem.
How online family therapy in Ontario works
- 1
Free 15-minute consult
A short video call with a parent or family member to talk about what is happening, ask questions, and decide who might join the first sessions.
- 2
A first session together
Join by secure video from one home or from several places in Ontario. Sometimes we meet with everyone, sometimes with parents first.
- 3
A plan that fits your family
Sessions are 50 minutes, or 75 minutes when more family members join. We review how things are going together and adjust as you go.
Online family counselling means no one has to rush across the city after work or school, and family members in different Ontario cities can join from where they are. Read is virtual therapy as effective as in-person to learn more. We see clients online across Ontario only.
Meet your family therapist
Agustina Jorquera, Ed.D., M.Ed., RP
Registered Psychotherapist (CRPO) · English & Spanish
Agustina works with adolescents, adults, couples, and families. In family therapy, she helps each person feel heard while the family looks at the patterns that keep repeating, and she brings warmth and practical tools to parent support sessions.
Her approach is relational and integrative, drawing on psychodynamic and attachment-based perspectives alongside practical tools from CBT and DBT. She holds a doctorate (Ed.D.) and a master's degree (M.Ed.) in counselling psychology and psychotherapy from the University of Toronto, and brings approximately 10 years of clinical experience in hospital programs and private practice. She offers sessions in English and Spanish.
Terapia familiar en español
Para muchas familias, los temas más importantes se sienten más naturales en su propio idioma. Ofrecemos terapia familiar y apoyo para padres en español, en línea en todo Ontario. Conozca más sobre nuestra terapia en español.
Fees and insurance receipts
- Individual session (50 minutes): $185
- Extended session (75 minutes): $270
- Initial video consult (15 minutes): free
Sessions are $185 for 50 minutes or $270 for 75 minutes, and the 15-minute consult is free. We provide receipts you can submit to your extended health plan. Many plans cover services by Registered Psychotherapists, but coverage varies, so please check your plan before you begin. We do not direct bill insurance companies. Full details are on our fees and insurance page, and our article on whether counselling is covered by insurance in Ontario explains what to ask your provider.
A note on safety
Family therapy may not be the right first step when someone is being harmed or feels unsafe at home. If a child or adult is in immediate danger, call 911. If you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 9-8-8 for the Suicide Crisis Helpline, call 911, or go to your nearest emergency department. Buena Vita Therapy is not an emergency crisis service, and online sessions are not a substitute for urgent care.
Frequently Asked Questions About Family Therapy
Helpful reading
- Why couples fight after moving in
- How to set boundaries without guilt
- Is counselling covered by insurance in Ontario?
External resources: Kids Help Phone, 24/7 support for young people · Verify any therapist's registration with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO)