Great Couples Counselling in Port Alberni, BC. Therapy to heal relationships.

Validation, communication and trust, the three pillars or foundation stones of a successful relationship. Sound familiar? Do you feel that one or more of these may be missing from your relationship? Emotional accountability, listening skills, anger management, re-building trust & intimacy, defense mechanisms, projection, interpersonal conflict...these all undermine the strength of a healthy relationship. We can work with whatever is presented, and help your relationship get back on track. The honeymoon phase can resume, for not all hope is lost. We can work together, and with effort made both in session and at home, we can repair any amount of accrued damage. I look forward to helping you.

Our passion is supporting relationships! We are skilled and passionate in supporting marriages / relationships by understanding the context of the relationship and what the concerns/issues are. We also understand couples often need support in identifying the deeper meaning or deeper assessment of the concerns. We offer an individualized approach to each couple and family. We utilize Gottman, Systemic Family Therapy and other dignity informed approaches.

Many couples struggle with communication and "feeling heard". Over time a once happy and vibrant relationship can begin to decay through hurt feelings, anger, lack of attention, feeling valued, infidelity, the strain of children, childhood issues, and much more. We focus to heal the wounds of the past and rebuild the love and trust within the relationship. We work to equip both partners with a voice and ability to effectively listen and hear one another. We will work together to establish individual boundaries within the relationship, while creating a stronger and healthier connection. Our goal is to equip each couple with the tools they require for success, independent of counselling

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.

I provide a neutral place for couples to express their needs, preferences, and hopes for the relationship. Each partner is given time to express themselves and focus is placed on understanding each person's perspective. Conflict resolution can be a big part of couples counselling and this is brought into session through the lens of respect and communication. I work to guide you through sources of conflict, identify what each partner needs in that moment, and brainstorm ways in which these needs can be met.

Couples counselling focuses on developing strong communication skills, conflict resolution techniques, forgiveness, and effective dialogue. Many couples experience frustration at some point in their relationship where they feel they are not heard, valued or even loved any more. A toxic cycle of blaming, fighting and pulling away begins to form, creating distance and fatigue. For others an affair has shaken the very core of the safety and love they once felt in their relationship. It can be an agonizing and terrifying discovery for the partner who has been betrayed, and strong feelings of guilt, shame and a lack of understanding to how it even happened for the offending partner. Whether you are looking for a tune up to build back the excitement and...(view profile to read more)

I understand that navigating relationship issues can be incredibly challenging, affecting both your emotional health and the quality of your partnership. In our couples counselling sessions, we'll establish a safe environment for open dialogue, employing the Gottman Method to identify and address the root causes of your conflicts. This evidence-based approach focuses on improving communication, building empathy, and fostering mutual respect. While the journey to a healthier relationship may take time and commitment from both sides, there's genuine hope for renewal and happiness. Together, we can work towards a more harmonious and fulfilling relationship.