If you are struggling in your relationship or marriage with the problems of cold silence, hostile and defensive communication, or negotiating a difficult life transition couples counselling at Help for Families Canada can help. Relationships are a very private context, and you might be hesitant to share information about your problems with friends and family, that is why talking to a professional couple’s therapist can bring relief and empowerment. Relationship counsellors are trained to hear both sides of the story and remain unbiased, yet give understanding, insight, and even gentle challenges to dysfunctional patterns of thinking and responding.
Potential Gains from Couples Counselling
Through the safe and trusting relationship you both develop with your couple’s counselor your relationship may experience the following changes:
- Greater insight and understanding into your partners’ perspectives and messages.
- Increase sense of connection and belonging in the joint partnership
- Reduced avoidance of difficult conversations or conflict situations
- More ease in repairing and soothing in the aftermath of an explosive conflict episode
- Renewed sense of intimacy, including higher sexual satisfaction.
Your Communication Problems Can Be Resolved
Building communication skills is interweaved in all aspects of our counselling process. Yes, there are points when you as individuals and couples may be talking directly to the counsellor but most of the communication in therapy is spent talking to each other. The difference is me as the witness and guide is there to support you in both the expression of feelings & positions and also in the listening to (listening beyond the surface) to what your partner is saying to you. Listening is the primary skill to heal relationships. You will learn in relationship counselling to listen not just with your ears and mind to the words of your partner but to listen with your heart to your partner’s heart.
More Time to Go Deeper
Couples need time to work through their two perspectives. It can feel very frustrating to just reach the tipping point of a transition to problem solving when the traditional therapy hour is ending. At Help for Families Canada the minimum time for couples therapy is 90 minutes. Couples have the option to book extended session times at 2 hours, 2. 5 hours or even 3 hours intensive.
Begin Couples Therapy in Edmonton & Online Canada-Wide
Face to face counselling is available at our South Edmonton office. Vitual couples counselling is available throughout Alberta as well as accross all provinces and territories in Canada.
To get started in restoring your relationship follow the following steps
- Schedule a free phone consult with a counsellor by clicking on the green button “Book Now” on any page of our website
- Book your initial intake appointment and complete the presented intake assessment package forms.
- Attend counselling sessions regularly, wither it is weekly or bi-weekly, to gain optimum momentum.
- Engage in the assigned practical follow up challenges in order to bring the tools developed into session into the everyday reality of your partnership.
Introduction to Gottman Couples Counselling Principles
Forms For Couples Therapy Clients
Couples Dis-satisfaction Scale – This is an intake form that is completed individually by each partner. It is a pain scale. It asks you to rate on scale 1-10 the extent to which a particular element of your relationship is significantly problematic to you. The biggest problem is closer to 10.