Mary Forbes

MARY FORBES FAMILY COUNSELLING | REGISTERED CLINICAL COUNSELLOR | CERTIFIED FAMILY THERAPIST

My Background

I have been working with individuals, couples, children, adolescents and families here in Victoria since 1971.

I worked on contract to the Ministry of Families and Children for 15 years counselling children and families and training as a Play Therapist. I graduated from the Pacific Coast Family Therapy Training Institute in 1985 as a Certified Family Therapist and became a founding member of the Island Family Counselling Centre where I was in private practice for 15 years working with youth, adults, families and joining two other therapists to provide group play therapy to children.

In 1988 I was a founding member of the B.C. Association of Clinical Counsellors, the regulatory body that sets the ethical standards for Counselling in BC. and served in a leadership role on the board for ten years. I remain a member in good standing.

In 1999 I moved to the Gables at 1045 Linden Ave. I work in a supported environment with 5 other professionally registered therapists as Mary Forbes Family Counselling Practice.

My Approach

My work is based upon systemic concepts and theories. My aim is to develop a therapeutic relationship as a safe place from which to relieve specific symptoms. My object is to promote insight and coping strategies.

I focus on moving to action-based solutions using people’s strengths and abilities to find new ways of feeling, thinking and behaving. As I work with individuals of all ages, couples, children, teens and whole families, I specialize in working with traumatic stress, stroke, and acquired brain injury and dealing with issues such as job stress, loss and grieving, life transitions, aging, recovery from physical, sexual and/or emotional abuse, anger management and substance abuse recovery.

I also integrate the use expressive arts in my work with children and teens within the context of whole family counselling.

I am committed to ongoing professional development and competency. I attend several workshops a year and receive regular peer supervision and case consultation. I volunteered for 10 years on the board of the Citizen’s Counselling Centre and have a strong interest in the Restorative Justice initiatives.

How I Can Help

Recovery from Traumatic Injury
Helping families in their recovery from traumatic brain injury or stroke. Sessions by appointment in my office or in your home with any or all family members.

Divorce, Separation, Custody, Access, Blended Families
Your needs and your children’s needs, addressing unresolved issues and addressing common issues for blended families.

Relationships
Marriage, your parents, workplace relationships, building positive communication

Conflict
Finding wise solutions to shared problems

Stress Management
Lifestyle, workplace, life transitions

Anger
Understanding emotion, managing behaviour

Depression and Anxiety
Understand, coping, surviving, thriving

Grief and Loss
Healing in the context of illness, accident, brain injury, abuse, loss

Aging
Addressing independence, retirement, loneliness, care-giving and loss due to aging

Parenting with Authority and Compassion
Parenting yourselves, your children and your aging parents, bring out the best in your children and yourselves.

Contact Mary