Couples Counselling in Vancouver
Maybe you're having the same arguments again and again, communication has become difficult, or the closeness you once had feels harder to find.
I offer couples counselling in Vancouver and online throughout BC to help you better understand what's happening in your relationship and begin finding a different way forward.
When Your Relationship Feels Stuck
Relationships change over time. Stress, work, family responsibilities and major life changes can all affect how we relate to our partners. Sometimes there has been a specific rupture, such as infidelity or a loss of trust. Other times, the distance develops so gradually that it's difficult to pinpoint when things began to feel different.
You may still love each other but struggle to communicate without becoming frustrated. One of you may want to talk while the other withdraws. Small disagreements may turn into much larger arguments, or you may have stopped talking about difficult things altogether.
Couples therapy gives us an opportunity to slow these interactions down and look more closely at what is happening between you. Instead of focusing only on the latest disagreement, we can begin to understand the patterns underneath it and why you keep finding yourselves in the same place.
Couples Therapy May Help With:
Communication Difficulties
You may feel like you're talking but not really understanding one another. Couples counselling can help you become more aware of how you communicate, what gets in the way and how to have difficult conversations more effectively.
Recurring Conflict
Often couples aren't having multiple different arguments. They're having different versions of the same one. We can look at the pattern beneath recurring conflicts and what each of you may be bringing to it.
Feeling disconnected
Emotional distance can develop even in relationships where there is still a great deal of love. Therapy can help you explore what has contributed to that distance and begin making room for greater emotional connection.
Infidelity and other breaches of trust can leave both partners uncertain about what comes next. Couples therapy can provide space to understand what has happened, work through its impact and consider what rebuilding trust might require.
Trust & Betrayal
Emotional & Physical Intimacy
Changes in emotional or physical intimacy can be difficult to discuss without one or both partners feeling rejected, pressured or misunderstood. Counselling can help you have those conversations with greater openness and curiosity.
ADHD in relationships
When one or both partners have ADHD, it can affect communication, responsibilities, emotional regulation and how each person experiences the relationship. I have extensive training in ADHD and help couples understand its role without making ADHD, or the person who has it, the explanation for every difficulty in the relationship.
My Approach to Couples Counselling
I believe effective couples therapy requires more than determining who is right or wrong. My role is to understand the relationship between you: the patterns you've developed, what happens when you become disconnected and what each of you may need in order to relate differently.
I take a warm and collaborative approach, while also being gently directive when I think it may be helpful. I won't simply sit back while you have the same argument you have at home. I'll help you slow things down, look at what's happening between you and become more aware of the ways you each participate in the patterns that keep you stuck.
As a Registered Clinical Counsellor, I bring 20 years of counselling experience to my work and have training in the Gottman Method of Couples Therapy and Relational Life Therapy. I also have extensive training in ADHD and particular experience working with its impact on individuals and couples. Every relationship is different, so our work will be shaped by your circumstances, your history and what the two of you hope to change.
The Gottman Method For Couples Therapy
The Gottman Method is a research-informed approach to couples therapy that focuses on the patterns that can strengthen or undermine a relationship over time. It can help couples develop a better understanding of one another, communicate more effectively, manage conflict and strengthen friendship and intimacy.
My Gottman training informs the way I work with couples, but I don't believe in applying the same formula to every relationship. I draw from Gottman Method couples therapy alongside my other training and experience based on what is most useful for the couple in front of me.
The goal isn't to eliminate disagreement. Conflict is a normal part of close relationships. Instead, we can work toward understanding how you respond to conflict, recognizing the patterns that create distance and developing different ways of navigating difficult moments together.
Couples Therapy in Vancouver & Online Across BC
I offer in-person couples counselling in Vancouver as well as online couples therapy throughout BC. Online sessions can make couples therapy easier to fit into busy schedules and allow you to attend together from home. Whether we meet in person or virtually, our work is centred around understanding your relationship, the concerns bringing you to counselling and the changes you would both like to see.
I welcome couples of all genders, orientations and relationship structures, including LGBTQ+ couples.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
You don't need to know exactly what needs to change before coming to couples counselling. Sometimes knowing that the relationship isn't where you want it to be is enough of a place to start.
I offer a free 15-minute consultation where we can briefly discuss what's bringing you to couples therapy and explore whether working together feels like a good fit.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Couples therapy can be worthwhile when both partners are willing to participate and look honestly at their relationship. It can help you better understand recurring patterns, communicate differently and work through concerns that have been difficult to resolve on your own.
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The Gottman Method is a research-informed approach to couples therapy that focuses on communication, conflict, friendship and intimacy. I incorporate my Gottman training alongside other approaches based on the needs of each couple.
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That's okay. Partners often experience the same relationship differently, and part of couples counselling can be understanding those different perspectives and the patterns between you.
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Yes. I offer couples counselling in person in Vancouver and online throughout British Columbia. Online couples therapy can be a good option if attending an office together is difficult or you simply prefer the convenience of meeting from home.