Edmonton Addiction Family Therapy Services
Are Your Kids Struggling Through Life? You’re in the Right Place
Are your teenage family members struggling through life, acting out in defiance, or abusing drugs and alcohol? We can help. You have landed in the right place for help. We provide compassionate care for all members of the family.
All Are Welcome



Mental Health and Addictions Edmonton
Welcome to Edmonton Addiction Family Therapy Services
Edmonton Addiction Family Therapy Services provides support for mental health and addictions for families in Edmonton. If you’re worried about a teenage family member with problematic behaviour, emotional, identity, and social changes – you are not alone and you are not doing anything wrong.
Adolescence is challenging for teens and parents to navigate alone. Seeking out social and professional support makes it easier for you and your family to heal and grow. Our mission at Edmonton Addiction Family Therapy Services is to provide you with a wide range of effective treatments for your family to navigate your adolescents’ journey into adulthood.
Family Therapy - the Core of What We Do
Family Therapy: Teens with Parents
90 minutes | $220
- Office-based therapy for family members
Providing Support For
- Oppositional defiant disorder
- Conduct disorder/destructive behaviour
- Legal involvement
- Narcissism
- Borderline personality disorder
- Dysregulated emotions
- Depression
- Anxiety
- PTSD/Trauma
- Substance Abuse Disorder
- Alcohol Abuse Disorder
- Addictions (including video games)
- School refusal
- Grief/loss
Addictions and Family Therapy
What to Expect in Family Counseling
Stage 1: Assessment
First, we get to know you and your family, including conducting an informal assessment of the emotional processes occurring in your family. This may take a few sessions, depending on your needs and circumstances.
Stage 2: Engagement
Next, we provide coaching and support for your family to learn new ways of communicating and interacting with each other. The bulk of the work in this stage utilizes a blend of harm reduction, motivational interviewing, attachment focused discussions, psycho-education, emotionally focused enquiry, family of origin work, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Skills, psychodrama, and somatic awareness. The goal is to become aware of emotional reactions and replace them with healthier habits.
Stage 3: Completion
Finally, after fully completing our engagement stage, we move into the completion stage, where we review how to prevent your family from relapsing into old habits and how to ensure your changes are sustainable long-term.
Family Therapy and Counseling Services
Compassionate Care for Your Family
Supportive Services
Not all families are ready for full family therapy. In these cases additional services can be utilized to help prepare youth and parents for full family therapy at a later time. This can be decided during the initial free consultation or at any time during therapy.
Traditional Therapy: Teens
50 minutes | $220
- One on one office-based therapy
Used to assess, treat, or develop a treatment plan for a mental health/addiction issue in a more private setting than family therapy.
Providing Support For
- Oppositional defiant disorder
- Conduct disorder
- Narcissism
- Borderline personality disorder
- Dysregulated emotions
- Depression
- Anxiety
- PTSD/Trauma
- Substance Abuse Disorder
- Alcohol Abuse Disorder
- Addictions
- Grief/loss
Non-Traditional Therapy: Teens
50 minutes | $220
- Community-based meeting (e.g. coffee shop, zoo, park)
- Transportation to and from therapy site (ask about fees)
- Virtual reality (VR) training for mindfulness
- Visit to hospital or rehab facilities
- Text message check-ins (ask about fees)
Providing Support For
- Oppositional defiant disorder
- Conduct disorder
- Narcissism
- Borderline personality disorder
- Dysregulated emotions
- Depression
- Anxiety
- PTSD/Trauma
- Substance Abuse Disorder
- Alcohol Abuse Disorder
- Addictions
- Grief/loss
Individual Therapy: Adults
50 minutes | $220
- One on one office-based therapy
Providing Support For
- Borderline personality disorder
- Dysregulated emotions
- Depression
- Anxiety
- PTSD/Trauma
- Addictions
- Grief/loss
Family Therapy: Teens with Parents
90 minutes | $220
- Office-based therapy for family members
Providing Support For
- Oppositional defiant disorder
- Conduct disorder/destructive behaviour
- Legal involvement
- Narcissism
- Borderline personality disorder
- Dysregulated emotions
- Depression
- Anxiety
- PTSD/Trauma
- Substance Abuse Disorder
- Alcohol Abuse Disorder
- Addictions (including video games)
- School refusal
- Grief/loss
Family Therapy: Parents Only
90 minutes | $220
- Psycho-educational sessions for parents/guardians
- Skills training with parents/guardians
- Co-parenting instructions and coaching
Providing Support For
- Borderline personality disorder
- Dysregulated emotions
- Depression
- Anxiety
- PTSD/Trauma
- Addictions
- Grief/loss
Couples Therapy: Adults
50 minutes | $220
- Office-based therapy for couples
- Supporting all relationship types (LGBTQS+)
Providing Support For
- Marital Counselling
- Parenting
- Communication issues
- Blended family dynamics
- Communication issues
- Emotional expression
- Dysregulated emotions
Couples Therapy Process
We specialize in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), where we identify different attachment styles and coach you and your partner to respond to each other in an attachment friendly manner.
Family Therapy Addiction Counseling
Meet Our Compassionate Team
Dennis Barrie, MC
Registered Psychologist
Professional Experience
- Phase III Trained Platoon Commander, Peacekeeping Experience – Canadian Armed Forces, 1998
- Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with Honours – Saint Francis Xavier University, 2001
- Master of Counseling – City University of Seattle, 2015
I derive my therapeutic values from the principles of Hakomi. I have a strong belief that families are inter-connected emotional systems that have the capacity to heal themselves when provided safe, loving, mindful environments.
Dennis
Professionalism
Commitment
Honest Relationships
Unconditional Positive Regard
Caring
Innovation
Dennis began caring for youth and adolescents as a Platoon Trained Commander for the Canadian Armed Forces. In this role, he was directly responsible for the lives and welfare of 30 young soldiers, aged 17-20 years old. He learned first-hand, on UN peacekeeping missions, that when teenagers are provided with the right nurturance and support, they will thrive even in the face of extreme challenges.
After leaving the military in 2001, Dennis completed his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and began a new career as a youth worker. He enjoyed engaging with youth and connecting with them on various private therapeutic school programs, especially outdoor wilderness treatment. After completing a two-year contract in the Middle East as a school counsellor, Dennis returned to Edmonton and completed his Master of Counseling degree.
After graduating, Dennis worked with Alberta Health Services (AHS) as a family counsellor for 8 years, providing addictions counselling support and family therapy for families in Edmonton. He launched Edmonton Addiction Family Therapy Services to support teens and families in Edmonton struggling with mental health and addictions.
Edmonton Addictions Family Therapy
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is your confidentiality policy?
At Edmonton Addiction Family Counselling Services Inc., we take confidentiality and privacy very seriously. All information shared during counseling sessions is strictly confidential and will not be disclosed to anyone without the client’s written consent, except in cases where there is a legal obligation to report abuse, neglect, or harm to oneself or others.
Do you offer online sessions or telehealth services on Zoom?
The short answer is yes. During the initial assessment session, it is preferred to have the session face to face but this is not absolutely necessary.
What is your cancellation policy?
If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment at Edmonton Addiction Family Counselling Services Inc., please notify us at least 24 hours in advance to avoid being charged a cancellation fee. If you do not show up for your appointment without prior notice, you will be charged the full session fee.
What payment methods do you accept?
Edmonton Addiction Family Counselling Services Inc. currently accepts payment by cash or e-transfer. Direct insurance company billing is also available.
Visit our policy page to learn more.
Edmonton Addiction Family Therapy
Contact Us to Learn More
Hours of Operation
- Monday: 9:00am-9:30pm
- Tuesday: 9:00am-9:30pm
- Wednesday: 9:00am-9:30pm
- Thursday: 9:00am-9:30pm
- Friday: 9:00am-9:30pm
- Saturday: 9:00am-9:30pm
- Sunday: 9:00am-9:30pm