About RAV

Relationships Australia Victoria (RAV) is a valued provider of specialist family and relationship services. Our vision is for positive, safe and respectful relationships for couples, families, schools, workplaces and communities.

As a secular, community-based, not-for-profit organisation, our services are for all members of the community, regardless of religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, lifestyle choice, cultural background or economic circumstances. We respect the rights of all people in all their diversity to live safely and with dignity, with their families and within their communities, and to enjoy healthy relationships.

Our objective is to relieve suffering, distress and helplessness and to enhance physical, social and emotional wellbeing.

We provide services from 12 centres in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria and additional outreach locations. The corporate support team is based in Camberwell.

We have partnered with EACH Social and Community Health to base a family therapist within outer eastern Melbourne. From two centres in Boronia and Yarra Junction, we are providing family therapy to families in Knox, Maroondah, the Yarra Ranges and surrounding communities from two locations.

Fees

Fees may be charged for family therapy, however we do not refuse services due to an inability to pay. We will discuss fees with you when you contact us.

Locations

Relationships Australia Victoria 83 Boronia Road, Boronia VIC 3155

Upper Yarra Family Centre 2444 Warburton Highway, Yarra Junction VIC 3797

Contact us

Fore more information to to make an appointment, call RAV’s Boronia Centre on (03) 9725 9964 or email boronia@rav.org.au

For more information about RAV and our other services, visit www.rav.org.au

Support for families in Knox, Maroondah, the Yarra Ranges and surrounding communities

Family therapy

The importance of family

At RAV we know how important families can be. Families come in different shapes and sizes, with many different types and configurations of families, such as nuclear, extended, blended, single-parent, heterosexual and same-sex couples. Families can include non-parental caregivers such as partners, foster parents, grandparents, god-parents, adoptive parents and other family members, as well as chosen family friends. We believe that it is important to acknowledge the strengths of each family, and this is what we do as part of family therapy.

Family therapy

At certain times in our lives, individuals, couples and families can experience changes, or challenges which can be very stressful.

Family therapy is an approach that can help families at all stages of life. It can be useful for families starting to experience difficulties or changes, such as having a baby or children starting school, or for families going through more significant and difficult life transitions, such as separation or a death in the family. For all of these transitions and experiences, we believe it is important to talk things through.

Family therapy considers all family members when talking about issues, challenges or experiences. That is, it’s a whole of family practice. This means that the needs and goals of all members of the family are considered. In family therapy we meet with you and talk about your family’s needs and goals. We then develop a plan to support everyone in the family.

While family therapy can involve all family members attending a session together, this is not always the case. Often, we meet with different members of the family at different times.

What we can help with

Family therapy can be helpful for a range of issues and topics, such as:

• relationship difficulties and strengthening relationships;

• marriage and couple conflict;

• divorce;

• parenting and stress;

• communication between parents, children and adolescents;

• depression and anxiety;

• grief and loss;

• low self-esteem;

• aging parents;

• health issues;

• reuniting with family members;

• finding your voice within your family.

Family therapy can also involve individual counselling for children and adolescents.

Whole of family approach

There are many ways that a whole of family approach such as family therapy can help. These include:

• improving communication and problem-solving within families;

• helping parents to feel more confident about their parenting;

• identifying and resolving couple relationship issues that may be affecting parenting and children;

• strengthening family connections after a difficult life transition;

• reducing conflict between parents and young people;

• helping parents to constructively channel their concerns for their children;

• helping children and adolescents with emotional concerns and to build positive relationships.