Envision Counselling and Support Centre is celebrating its one year anniversary since establishing the Family Intervention Program (FIP). This program provides immediate support and crisis counselling (individual, couple or family) to those experiencing a single or recurrent problem that is overwhelming or traumatic. Any significant change or loss within a family can create a high degree of stress and anxiety for all or some family members leading to a breakdown in family function. The goal of the program is to strengthen the family unit by empowering the members to improve the quality of their personal and family lives. The program provides supports that will increase positive and healthy interactions between parents/children and couples.
"Crisis counselling allows individuals and families to face the emotional pain of the crisis and move forward in healthy ways to cope with the stressful situation," said Counselling Coordinator Christa Daku. There are many situations that can lead to a crisis such as high risk child or adolescent behaviours, marital/couple relationship breakdown, blending families, separation and divorce, or other traumatic events of situations. When a crisis occurs within a family it can cause confusion, frustration, change of behaviour of individual family members and feelings of hopelessness that can lead to family breakdown. Envision counsellors believe that it can also be an opportunity to explore family dynamics by focusing on their strengths and abilities. By building on these, families can feel more connected and improve overall family function.
Daku noted that the Family Intervention Program is not to replace any existing programs in the southeast, but rather to provide immediate support for the family and connect them to long-term supports when necessary. All services are offered free of charge and those families that are interested in support from the Family Intervention Program may directly refer themselves to the program by calling Envision's office in Weyburn (842-8821), Estevan (637-4004) and Carlyle (453-2405) or check out the Envision Counselling and Support Centre website at envisioncounsellingcentre.com.
