Family counselling services (familievernet)
Anyone can contact a family counselling office. The offices provide therapy, advice and counselling when problems, conflicts and crises arise in the family.
What do we offer?
Family counselling offices provide couples and family therapy, as well as individual counselling sessions. Couples with young children and teenagers are given priority.
Family counselling offices are staffed by psychologists, social workers and other specialists in family therapy. Family counsellors have a duty of client confidentiality.
Couples therapy is open to married and cohabiting couples, as well as couples in a romantic relationship but not living together. The service is available to both heterosexual and homosexual couples. Counselling may be sought because of problems within the relationship or in connection with a break-up.
To make an appointment – contact the family counselling office where you live.
Find your nearest family counselling office (in Norwegian)
The service is free of charge, and no referral is necessary.
Family therapy is a service for families experiencing conflicts between parents and children. The service is also available in connection with conflicts between multiple generations or with new family members.
The family counselling office can also help improve cooperation between parents.
To make an appointment – contact the family counselling office where you live.
Find your nearest family counselling office (in Norwegian)
The service is free of charge, and no referral is necessary.
All those who are married and have joint children under the age of 16 must obtain a valid mediation certificate before the County Governor can grant a separation or divorce.
Cohabiting couples with joint children under the age of 16 must also attend mediation if they separate. A mediation certificate is required before the higher rate of child benefit will be granted.
Parents who wish to petition the court for parental responsibility, permanent custody or visitation rights, must obtain a meditation certificate.
The family counselling offices conduct statutory mediation.
The objective of mediation is for the parents to arrive at an agreement on parental responsibility, permanent custody and visitation rights. The primary purpose of all agreements relating to children shall be to safeguard the child’s best interests.
To make an appointment – contact the family counselling office where you live.
Find your nearest family counselling office (in Norwegian)
The service is free of charge, and no referral is necessary.
In the event of a breakup parents may disagree about what is best for the child or children, e.g. in connection with the practicalities surrounding visitation, or how you and your former partner should cooperate with regard to the child/children’s upbringing.
The family counselling office can help establish a better climate of cooperation after the breakdown of a marriage or relationship.
Any agreement that you come to at the family counselling office will be based on the best interests of the child.
To make an appointment – contact the family counselling office where you live.
Find your nearest family counselling office (in Norwegian)
The service is free of charge, and no referral is necessary.
Online mini-course on conflict and challenging collaboration after a breakup (Mediaflow) (English subtitles and voiceover)
Most family counselling offices offer courses and group programmes on relevant
issues related to family life. These include courses on couples relationship, courses for first-time parents, courses for the parents of children with disabilities, groups for
children and adults after the break-up of cohabitation and when domestic violence is
a problem within the family.
List of courses (in Norwegian)
Online mini-course on conflict and challenging collaboration after a breakup (Mediaflow) (English subtitles and voiceover)
Make an appointment
To make an appointment contact the family counselling office where you live. The service is free of charge, and no referral is necessary.
Find your nearest family counselling office (in Norwegian)
Parental guidance
Many parents would like to discuss issues relating to children and parenting with other parents and experts. If this applies to you, you can participate in a parental guidance group.
Learn more about parental guidance and the International Child Development Programme (ICDP)
