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

Relationships can be very difficult and sometimes feel hopeless. They are often the source of our greatest joy and our most pain. If people are willing to grow and change relationships can be tranformed and distress can be turned into happiness. Often couples find it hard to really listen to each other, which leads to misunderstandings. In counselling couples have the opportunity to share their perspective in a controlled enviornment enabling them to get past defensivness and move to listening, understanding and healing.

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.

The duty and function of a relationship counselor or couple's therapist is to listen, respect, understand and facilitate better functioning between those involved. The basic principles for a counselor include: Provide a confidential dialogue which normalizes feelings; to enable each person to be heard and to hear themselves; provide a mirror with expertise to reflect the relationship's difficulties and the potential and direction for change; empower the relationship to take control of its own destiny and make vital decisions; deliver relevant and appropriate information; changes the view of the relationship; and Improve communication.

In a time and place where over 50% of marriages end in divorce, it is to be expected that couples need support in their relationships! Research indicates that couples often wait as long as seven years before seeking professional help. Don't delay, couples counselling can teach you new ways of communicating, so that you truly feel heard; can teach you ways to reconnect with your partner, and to stop replaying old arguments and other negative patterns.

When you are in a committed relationship, your partner is often the most influential person in your life. When that relationship is not going well, or you do not feel content in it, your quality of life suffers. Dr. Hook has experience working with relationships of many configurations including gay, straight, open, long-distance, and bisexual. She takes a sex-positive approach and is genuinely non-judgemental. She will work with you and your partner to help identify your relationship goals and guide you towards achieving them.

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

Working with couples is a particular love of mine. Being in a relationship that continuously grows and evolves I know the value of a good relationship. When it does not thrive it can be miserable. Having an objective outsider who is skilled in pointing out negative patterns and helping you work through hurts and grievances can often save a relationship that appeared doomed. We always need to be able to express our wants and needs and feel heard and equally we need to do the same for our partners. The latter is not always so easy but that can be where the gold is! Of course we often feel its a one way street and then different strategies have to be applied.

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.

We are the biological product of our parents, but are no less the emotional product of the families we come from. By better understanding the hurts, fears, and insecurities, the roles, habits, and patterns that we have brought into our romantic relationships, we are permitted to give - and get - the most out of them. By better understanding ourselves and our partners, we open up communication, foster mutual respect in relating and stronger attachment, and find that collaborative solutions to couples issues are easier to find.

[NOTE: MY OFFICE IS IN CALGARY -- I DO VIDEO SESSIONS ELSEWHERE IN ALBERTA]. Your struggles might seem overwhelming now, but most situations can be rectified. I am a psychologist with 31 years of experience. I am also a professor of counselling psychology and I am very familiar with clinical psychology as well. Set up an appointment now before things get worse by going to https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=14249112

The context of a relationship brings much more information to the surface then if we were alone. This can be very challenging and counseling can help sort this out. Couples counseling provides the opportunity to examine things as they play out within the couple. This arrangement can leads us to see first hand the strengths we have to connect with others. I have successfully worked with people from a variety of backgrounds to treat a variety of couples issues and look forward to working with you. Visit my website at www.prairieowlpsychology.ca from more details.

I often work with couples who are struggling in an effort to develop effective communcation, express feelings appropriately, overcome infidelity, deal with parenting conflicts, address unresolved issues, establish more of a connection with one another, adjust to various life transitions (such as having a baby), and deal with day-to-day struggles (such as housework). I use a variety of techniques to address these difficulties, with the ultimate goal of establishing a sense of goodwill and connection, so that each partner has empathy and support for the other, and they can create a sense of being a true team as they navigate life together.

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.