Great Couples Counselling in Calmar, AB. Therapy to heal relationships.

Our Therapists at Rivers Edge Counselling can help you to • Effectively communicate with your spouse • Solve misunderstandings and engage in a “fair fight” • Increase your trust, intimacy and friendship with your spouse • Learn how to forgive when you feel betrayed • Focus on hopes and dreams that defines your relationship • Live with hope for a better future with your spouse

Are you and your partner stuck in unsolvable arguments? Does one of you tend to ‘demand’ more while the other shuts down and withdraws? Are you feeling less connected and actually adding stress to each other’s lives instead of reducing it? While frustrating, these are perfectly normal patterns of partnership and there is hope. I would be glad to help you untangle the knots, learning to team up together instead of entering battles over who is right. In doing so, we will unpack past traumas and patterns of behaviour, learning to better communicate and to be safely vulnerable in a way that stands your relationship on solid ground.

Although relationships ebb and flow, the experience of pregnancy and parenthood can impact a couple greatly. As you and your partner navigate your new roles and identities, it is not uncommon to be navigating changes in your relationship. Our therapists can help you and your significant other navigate these changes together and work to strengthen your relationship.

I've worked with multiple couples in many kinds of relationships. Whether dating, engaged, married, separated, or divorced, my goal is to help you in the most genuine way, to improve your communication, to solve some of your unsolvable problems and to break down barriers that may be getting in the way of achieving all you hope to in your relationship. As a professional, I am extensively trained to remain neutral and work towards the best for both individuals of the couple.

In couples counselling, I create a supportive space to help partners communicate more openly and effectively. I use tools and techniques, primarily from the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), to strengthen connection and resolve conflicts. These approaches help couples understand each other’s needs and build trust. I guide partners in exploring their emotions, communication patterns, and shared goals, helping them develop a deeper connection and a stronger, healthier relationship.

I have a significant caseload of relationship therapy clients. I am comfortable with essentially any type of relationship taking place between consenting adults. I accept the orientation(s) of the parties to a relationship, and am as a rule able to come from there. If I have a bias, it is to preserve the being of the relationship, the "we" that emerges when one and another form a bond. My bias notwithstanding, I am able to assist parties to a relationship to achieve a more peaceful separation/termination when that is their choice.

In a relationship, each member is responsible for an equal share of the dynamic. In a family, that means it splits between the amount of people, and in a couple it’s 50% created by each partner. This 50% is the result of the individual’s needs- both functional and dysfunctional. Functional needs relate to biological drives, culture, relationship goals, values, etc. Dysfunctional needs come from limiting beliefs, which are internalized in our childhood. They create needs like: the need to be in control, or the need to protect oneself. The needs, whether functional or dysfunctional, can balance each other out, creating a “stabilizer” or they can become unmet needs.

[I OFFER VIDEO SESSIONS THROUGHOUT ALBERTA AND ONTARIO]. Your struggles might seem overwhelming now, but most situations can be rectified. I have worked with many couples, regardless of their lifestyle. I have been a psychologist since 1986. I am also a professor emeritus of counselling psychology. Set up an appointment now before things get worse by going to https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=14249112

I employ the 'Prepare/Enrich Online Assessment' tool for couples aiming to enhance their understanding and strengthen their relationships. This tool is highly effective in evaluating and highlighting the strengths and challenges within a couple's relationship. Tailored to couples at any age or stage of their relationship, it offers valuable insights to help them grow and improve together.

Creating stronger relationships through the research- based Gottman approach. Couples who wish to develop a deeper awareness and connection in their relationships will benefit in using E- Counselling to enhance communication and bonding. Often when we are in a face to face conversation we are thinking of our next response rather than allowing the other person to be understood. Using a secure and completely confidential web based Gottman trained counsellor will help break down the barriers of communication and improve relationship dynamics. Couples can expect more understanding, respect and intimacy in their relationship. LGBT relationships are welcome.

In my work I am enabling couples to resolve disagreements, or agree to disagree, without becoming disconnected or abusive. Given that different couples might need different types of intervention, the mechanisms of change vary accordingly. Therefore, in order to achieve change and enable growth, I am using an integrative approach, which I tailor to suit the needs, experiences, and personal circumstances of the couple.

You love each other, so why is it so hard? Communication on the surface looks so simple, but it can be hard to do well, especially if you weren't given the tools to be a good communicator. In couples counselling, you and your partner will learn what recurring patterns get you stuck, and what emotions that brings up for each of you. You'll learn to share your emotions and truly hear your partner's deepest feelings. Using an emotion focused model, you will get to practice communicating together to actively learn to get unstuck and connect more. You don't need to worry that I will choose sides; my job is to help you feel safe to express your feelings and share your love again.

I define a couple as any two people involved in ongoing interaction. When things go wrong the relationship is unfulfilling and may be hurtful to the participants. All too often things go wrong when the individuals focus on what they want from each other and they become enmeshed in a power struggle. In couples therapy there are no “rules of engagement” but there are skills which can be developed to make the relationship mutually rewarding and personally empowering.

Dr. Vandegriend is a Registered Psychologist and Certified Gottman Therapist specializing in working with couples/marriage/relationships and implements a practical, easy-to-talk to, and results oriented approach. Areas of focus are: better communication; working through conflicts and areas where they just feel "stuck"; managing transitions better together (ie. new parents, retirement); healing after infidelity and establishing greater trust, respect and connection between each other; and deepening levels of intimacy. www.stalbertcounselling.com

I have been trained as a Marriage and Family Therapist. I have been working with couples for approximately 10 years. Couples counselling includes: 1)Getting your marriage back on track or perhaps strengthening your marriage more than it has ever been. 2)Perhaps you are in relationship and would like to get married, however issues come up that you are having a hard time resolving on your own. 3)Perhaps you have decided to separate however need help talking to each other and beginning the process. 4)Any relationship issue that you might be having. I work from a collaborative approach, where you as the client can state what you would like to work on. I am here to help you make things better

Being in a relationship comes with its challenges, and it's common to find yourself caught in unhelpful patterns. However, you don't have to remain stuck. It’s entirely possible to reach a place where you can clearly express your needs and feel genuinely heard by your partner or partners. My therapeutic approach centers around a variety of cognitive therapies that can help empower couples to identify and transform negative thought patterns and behaviours into the relationship you truly desire. It equips couples with the tools to build and maintain healthy dynamics. If you're ready to make a change, I encourage you to book a free 15-minute phone consultation to discover how I can support you.

What are the most common couples' issues? If you are thinking "communication, conflict, sex, money, child rearing" you are correct. However, most therapists will go after the symptom on each side of the couple fence thinking that the way to effective change is by getting each party to "work" on their respective "issue". Many times the parties don’t agree but comply. Imagine if you could align the unconscious brains of a couple and stop the "working on your issues" part that has become so popular in therapy settings? Contact kevin@kevinflemingphd.com to learn how! Or call 877-606-6161. DR. FLEMING'S NEW RELATIONSHIP/COUPLES INTENSIVES. www.kevinflemingphd.com/marriage-couples-retreats.php

Most people deeply desire a warm and healthy relationship with a spouse or partner. However it requires work and effort, and is not an easy process for either individual in the relationship. On the other hand, the benefits of the effort put in are inevitably well worth it in the long run. If you're looking to work out differences and move towards a more harmonious relationship, I can work with you to find love, acceptance and the tools that work best for you and your relationship.

It is within our relationships that we experience the most joy and the most pain. Most relationships begin with a deep connection and people anticipate a future that continues to be passionate and fulfilling. It is inevitable, however, that disappointments and misunderstandings arise. Learning to communicate in an effective way that bridges differences and leads to respect and understanding are essential to a happy relationship.

Couples counselling with me focuses on helping partners break recurring patterns that lead to disconnection, resentment, or emotional distance. Whether you're dating, living together, or long-term committed, the work is structured, practical, and grounded in mutual respect. I use tools from the Gottman Method, CBT, and my Reconnect 2.0 framework to help couples improve communication, rebuild trust, and handle conflict without blame. This isn’t about who’s right—it’s about how to move forward in a way that works for both of you.

I am trained in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy. I help couples heal from the wounds that prevent us from feeling safe and secure in our relationships. These wounds sometimes happened to us long before we found our current partner, and sometimes there is betrayal in the marriage. I help clients recognize how these wounds affect our emotions and behaviors in a way that prevents us from getting what we are most longing for: connection in love.