The PEACE Program and an Easter Message

As we move into the Easter season, the themes of renewal and rebirth are all around us. For Christians, this is a time centered on a message of peace and restoration. However, given the current state of international affairs, it is clear that our world—regardless of religion or belief system—is in collective need of more peace.

Whether we are looking at global events or the private sanctuary of our own homes, peace is not simply the absence of conflict; it is the presence of safety, understanding, and the opportunity to start fresh. In my work as a Parenting Coordinator (PC), I see families every day who are striving to find that "new spring" after a period of high conflict.

Fortunately, British Columbia offers a vital, fully funded resource to help children find their footing again: The PEACE Program.

A Modern Approach to Family Conflict

The PEACE Program (Prevention, Education, Advocacy, Counselling, and Empowerment) has evolved significantly to meet the needs of modern families. It has moved away from outdated frameworks where mothers were cast as victims and fathers as offenders.

Today, the program recognizes a more complex and inclusive reality: There are many types of family violence, and in every instance, the children are harmed. By removing these labels, the program creates a space where both parents can agree on the core truth: the home experienced conflict, it affected the children, and those children deserve a dedicated path to healing.

Why Psycho-Educational Counselling?

This is not standard "talk therapy" or simple Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The PEACE Program uses a psycho-educational model. While play therapy is often incorporated to meet children at their developmental level, the sessions have a clear, structured mandate to teach:

• Safety & Self-Protection: Practical skills for staying safe in volatile moments.
• Self-Esteem: Rebuilding the internal confidence that conflict can erode.
• Healthy Boundaries: Giving children the language to advocate for themselves.
• Resiliency: Developing the emotional tools to navigate future stress.

The Structure of the Program

The program is an anti-violence initiative of the BC government and is fully funded, ensuring that financial barriers never stand in the way of a child's recovery.

• Duration: Typically 10–12 sessions.
• Extensions: In extremely high-conflict situations—including those involving the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD)—the program can be extended for an additional 10–12 sessions or longer.
• Focused Healing: To ensure a child isn't overwhelmed or confused by competing therapeutic goals, they are required to pause other current counselling while enrolled in PEACE. This allows the highly experienced facilitators to work toward specific, clear goals without distraction.
  

How to Access the Program

There often is a significant waiting list of 8 months to a year to access this counselling and parent interviews are required. Accessing the PEACE program is straightforward, and referrals can come from several different sources depending on your family's situation:

• Parental Referral: Parents can reach out directly to their local PEACE provider to begin the intake process.
• Parenting Coordinator: As your Parenting Coordinator, I can facilitate a referral as part of our work in managing your parenting plan and reducing conflict.
• Child Protection: Referrals are also frequently made by the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) or other child protection advocates to ensure children have the support they need during difficult transitions.
  

Remember, parenting coordination does not come from a place of blame. Parents must acknowledge that there was conflict in the home and that conflict harmed the child. That is all that is required to begin the process of healing and peace! 

PEACE Program Contacts:

Lower Mainland & Fraser Valley

• Vancouver (Downtown) YWCA Metro Vancouver 535 Hornby Street, Vancouver, BC V6C 2E8 604-734-5722
• Surrey Options Community Services 9815 140th Street, Surrey, BC V3T 4M4 604-584-5811
• Langley Ishtar Women's Resource Society 20316 56 Avenue, Langley, BC V3A 3Y7 604-534-1011 ext. 234
• Burnaby Burnaby Family Life 4535 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC V5H 4C2 604-659-2200
• Richmond Chimo Community Services 7000 Minoru Boulevard, Richmond, BC V6Y 3Z5 604-279-7077
• Tri-Cities (Coquitlam, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam) Tri-City Transitions Society 200-2540 Shaughnessy Street, Port Coquitlam, BC V3C 3W4 604-941-7111
• Abbotsford SARA for Women Society 2412 Wright Street, Abbotsford, BC V2S 7Y1 604-855-3363
• Chilliwack Ann Davis Transition House Society 9046 Young Road, Chilliwack, BC V2P 4R6 604-792-2760

Vancouver Island & Coast

• Victoria Victoria Women’s Transition House Society 100-3060 Cedar Hill Road, Victoria, BC V8T 3J5 250-592-2927
• Nanaimo Haven Society 2270 Labieux Road, Nanaimo, BC V9T 3K1 250-756-2452
• Courtenay (Comox Valley) Comox Valley Transition Society 625 England Avenue, Courtenay, BC V9N 2N5 250-897-0511
• Campbell River Campbell River Family Services Society 480 10th Avenue, Campbell River, BC V9W 4E3 250-287-2421
• Sechelt (Sunshine Coast) Sunshine Coast Community Services 5638 Inlet Avenue, Sechelt, BC V0N 3A0 604-885-0341
• Ucluelet & Tofino Westcoast Community Resources Society 500 Matterson Drive, Ucluelet, BC V0R 3A0 250-726-2343
   
  Interior & Okanagan
• Kelowna Central Okanagan Elizabeth Fry Society 120-1632 Dickson Avenue, Kelowna, BC V1Y 7T2 250-763-4613
• Kamloops Kamloops Sexual Assault Counselling Centre 601-235 1st Avenue, Kamloops, BC V2C 3J4 250-372-0179
• Vernon Archway Society for Domestic Peace 2400 46th Avenue, Vernon, BC V1T 9E5 250-542-1122
• Penticton South Okanagan Women in Need Society (SOWINS) 102-1027 Main Street, Penticton, BC V2A 5E5 250-493-4366
• Salmon Arm SAFE Society (Shuswap Area Family Emergency) PO Box 1449, Salmon Arm, BC V1E 4P6 250-832-9616
• Keremeos Lower Similkameen Community Services Society 720 3rd Street, Keremeos, BC V0X 1N3 250-499-2352
   
  Northern BC
  
• Prince George Prince George Elizabeth Fry Society 1575 5th Avenue, Prince George, BC V2L 3L9 250-563-1113
• Smithers Northern Society for Domestic Peace 3772 1st Avenue, Smithers, BC V0J 2N0 250-847-9000
• Fort St. John Community Bridge 10142 101st Avenue, Fort St. John, BC V1J 2B3 250-785-6021
• Dawson Creek & Chetwynd South Peace Community Resources Society 10110 13th Street, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 3W1 250-782-9174
• Terrace Ksan House Society 4444 Lakelse Avenue, Terrace, BC V8G 1P2 250-635-2373
• 100 Mile House Axis Family Resources 451 Birch Avenue, 100 Mile House, BC V0K 2E0 250-395-3145

Building a Better Future

Just as the season reminds us that growth is possible after a long winter, the PEACE Program ensures that children aren't just "getting through" the conflict, but are actively building the conflict management skills and resiliency they need for a better, more peaceful future.

Written by Cori McGuire, a Parenting Coordinator with 28 years of family law experience in British Columbia. For further reading, click on Child Therapy as a Safe Harbor and to follow the peace theme, From Pain to Peace: How Parenting Coordination Helps You Move Forward. Refer to more reading in our Resource Library or The Method page.