Family counselling is a type of group counselling that involves more than one person and a counsellor who work on an issue that affects all of the family members.
Wade’s interest in working with families began with his interest in engaging hard-to-attract family members who did not wish to engage in the counselling process and in trying to improve both retention and outcomes for these families. He has worked with adolescents who are struggling with substance abuse and misuse issues and supported their families through the difficulties associated with these behaviours. Wade’s theoretical framework — how he works with families — is based on solid research and represents a supportive approach that provides targeted treatment interventions. His work with families helps them to acknowledge the important role of family relations in the maintenance and development of maladaptive behaviours, including adolescents’ substance use. Wade draws upon the tenets of strategic and systemic family-counselling models to improve the well-being of youth and their families.
The duration of each treatment session is typically 50 or 90 minutes, but this time can vary depending upon the size of the family and their combined goals and issues.