Family Therapy in Mississauga & Online
Sessions for families in Mississauga and online across Ontario.
Families can be a source of love, connection and support, and they can also go through conflict, misunderstanding, and periods of significant stress. Family therapy in Mississauga at Serenity Psychotherapy Clinic provides a safe, supportive and non-judgmental setting where family members can work through challenges together — improving communication, understanding one another, and developing healthier ways of relating.
Sessions are led by Ahmad Shihab, MA, RP, the clinic’s founder and director — see his full background and registration details. Family therapy is not about identifying one person as “the problem.” It looks at the relationships, patterns, communication and circumstances contributing to what the family is experiencing, and it is shaped around the family’s own structure, culture, and goals. “Family” here means the people involved, not only biological relatives.
Sessions are available in person at the Meadowvale office in Mississauga or online for family members located anywhere in Ontario, with a free 30-minute consultation available before you book a first full session.
At a Glance
Who Family Therapy Can Help
Family therapy focuses on the family unit rather than on any single member. Depending on the concern being addressed, sessions may involve the whole family, parents and children, siblings, or different combinations of members — whoever is most relevant to what the family is working on, which can change from session to session. It can help households dealing with communication breakdowns, a tense home atmosphere, difficulty supporting one another, or a major transition such as separation, a new family structure, or a move.
Read full clinical details & context
Families also use therapy proactively — to strengthen how they communicate and handle disagreements before smaller frictions grow into bigger ones. There is no one-size-fits-all format: every family has its own history, strengths, and way of communicating, and sessions are shaped around them.
Common Concerns Families Bring to Therapy
Family sessions at Serenity most often focus on:
- Parent-child conflict — rules, school, technology, independence, and the arguments that keep repeating.
- Parenting challenges — boundaries, discipline, emotional regulation, and staying on the same page as caregivers.
- Sibling conflict — competition, jealousy, and frequent fighting that affects the whole household.
- Blended and step-families — new roles, routines, loyalty conflicts, and adjusting to a different household structure.
- Separation and divorce — helping children adjust, reducing conflict, and supporting healthier co-parenting.
- Communication difficulties — feeling ignored, criticized, or unable to speak without an argument starting.
- Children and teens through family stress — anxiety, withdrawal, anger, school difficulties, or changes in behaviour.
- Cultural and generational differences — expectations, values, and traditions meeting changing circumstances.
- Major life transitions — moves, new siblings, adolescence, loss, financial stress, and other turning points.
Our Approach to Family Therapy in Mississauga
The work is primarily communication-focused: helping family members express needs clearly, listen without immediately becoming defensive, and respond to disagreement in ways that de-escalate rather than add to it. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques are used where useful, particularly for identifying patterns — avoidance, blame, a recurring argument that never quite resolves — that keep family conflict going.
Read full clinical details & context
The therapist’s role is to create a space where each participant can be heard, understand different perspectives, and work toward the change the family has chosen. The aim is not for everyone to agree; it is for family members to be able to disagree while maintaining respect and connection.
What Sessions Look Like
Early sessions focus on understanding the family’s concerns, the relationships and dynamics within the family, and what each person hopes to change. Sessions typically include the family members most directly involved in the concern being addressed rather than every member of the household by default, and who attends can shift as the focus shifts.
Sessions take place in person at the Meadowvale Town Centre office in Mississauga or online for family members located anywhere in Ontario, including when not everyone is joining from the same location. A free 30-minute consultation is available before you commit to a first full session, with no obligation to continue afterward — you can book directly through the online scheduler.
Session Fees
| Session | Format | Length | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| New client consultation | Online | 30 min | Free |
| New client consultation | In person | 30 min | Free |
| Family session | In person | Per hour | $250 |
| Family session | Online | Per hour | $250 |
Fees are as listed above — the clinic’s current rates per session hour, effective September 2026 — and the fee for your specific appointment is shown when you book through Jane.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who should attend family therapy sessions?
Typically, the family members most directly involved in the concern being addressed attend, rather than every member of the household by default. Your therapist can help figure out who should be part of the conversation, and this can change from session to session as the focus shifts.
What age does a child need to be to take part in family sessions?
Family sessions can include children from age 7 and up. Depending on the situation, sessions may involve the child or teen together with parents and siblings, parents separately, or a combination — your therapist will suggest what fits the concern being addressed.
References
- CAMH — Psychotherapy (talk therapy), Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
- CMHA Ontario — Support for Families and Caregivers, Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario Division.
How to get started
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Book the free consultation
30 minutes, online or in person, through Jane.
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Ask questions, check the fit
Talk through what you are looking for before booking anything further.
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Choose your first session
In person in Meadowvale or online for clients in Ontario.
Start with a free 30-minute consultation
Take the first step toward clarity and support. Meet with Ahmad Shihab online or in person at our Meadowvale office with no pressure or obligation.
Confidential & no obligation
In person & online across Ontario
Direct online scheduling via Jane App · Instant confirmation