Great Couples Counselling in Summerland, BC. Therapy to heal relationships.

Relationship counselling is for individuals and couples who need to make some changes in their present situation. Distress can be caused by a breakdown in communication, too much conflict, difficulty acknowledging and expressing feelings, sexual problems, family patterns etc. Often our family of origin issues have been activated and we have raw spots in a relationship. As a counsellor I meet with couples individually for their first session (to explore history and listen to their experience of the problem) and then I bring them together. I help create a safe space to be emotionally honest and explore ways to overcome your patterns and find connection.

The majority of the work I do is with couples. Which is not surprising considering we are relational beings and the quality of those relationships is the greatest predictor and factor in longevity, health, and wellbeing. Many things in the modern world have become a barrier to connected and intimate relationships, these things can be understood through the lens of identities, attachment styles, communication styles, and Parts Work.

Relationships can be a great source of pleasure, support and companionship. They can also be deeply painful, and being lonely in the context of an intimate relationship is the most profound loneliness we can experience. A relationship can only be as strong as the individuals in it since each brings his or her own needs, strengths and weaknesses to it. Commitment and willingness to work on themselves as well as the relationship is key to making it work. Change may be scary, but not changing may be even more scary. Counselling can help address the impasses, chronic challenges, or long-standing patterns of interaction that create blocks to intimacy, as well as nurture the love beneath.

Olivia is deeply passionate about helping couples at every stage of their relationship. Her true heart lies in supporting couples to enhance their connection, foster healing, and restore their bond. Olivia combines her extensive experience in counseling with practical tools to equip couples with effective communication, conflict resolution, and relationship-building strategies. She also has a unique ability to address deeper-rooted issues, guiding partners to uncover and resolve underlying patterns that may be causing strain. Whether helping couples prepare for a lifetime together or overcome hardships, Olivia is committed to nurturing growth, understanding, and lasting restoration.

Embarking on a transformative journey with Eakin Counselling means recognizing and addressing the conflicts that often surface within relationships. I understand the complexities that can strain even the most loving connections. My relationship counseling services serve as companions on this journey, guiding individuals and couples through communication breakdowns, conflicts, and trust issues, ultimately fostering understanding and love. I believe that nurturing strong and healthy relationships is fundamental to a fulfilling life, and our approach to relationship, couples, and marriage counselling is rooted in deep insights, experience, and a profound understanding of the intricate dynamics

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)

Every relationship is unique. It also comes along with it's unique difficulties. Allow each party to express their concerns. Help the Clients see how they can find solutions on their own. This will bode well for their future together. Ask each what they see as essential to having a healthy relationship. If Respect, Trust & Good Honest Communication are not brought up, gently help the Clients to come to those realizations. Do not be judgemental in any way. Offer both a safe & supportive environment to express themselves.

The Gottman Method helps couples break out of painful cycles by applying research from over 3,000 couples—studying both those who thrive and those who divorce—to identify what makes relationships work. In Gottman couples therapy, we'll identify patterns eroding your intimacy—like criticism, defensiveness, or stonewalling—and replace them with healthier ways of relating. You'll learn practical, evidence-based skills for expressing needs, listening deeply, navigating conflict constructively, and repairing hurt. Whether experiencing frequent arguments, feeling disconnected, or facing major challenges, you'll gain concrete tools to rebuild connection, taking your relationship on a new trajectory

Have you begun to wonder if there is even hope for your relationship at all? Have your questioned if it's even worth it? Or long forgotten what you and your partner ever saw in each other? You are not alone! And I can assure you, there IS hope! Relationships are like gardens...they never grow well on their own. If yours is hurting, there IS a reason. And I can not only help you find it, I can help you to heal and restore what you both have lost. You have struggled long enough. Let me help you find each other again.

For a couple, therapy can be a significant source of support, whether for couples who are just looking for guidance to go through a rough patch or to sift through a few miscommunications or for couples frustrated and about to give up after struggling with major conflicts, communicational issues, infidelity or sexual issues. You don't have to be on the brink of divorce to seek out support. No matter where your relationships stands, take it to the next level.

I have advanced training in the Gottman method of couple counselling. This is the most highly researched therapy for relationships. It uses the sound relationship house model: We build on emotional connection, showing fondness and admiration, and turning towards. This creates a positivity in the relationship. Upon this foundation, we can work on conflict management and communication skills.

Couples counseling with me is a transformative and personalized experience that focuses on the unique dynamics and challenges faced by couples. With a compassionate and unbiased approach, I aim to create a space where partners, in individual separate individual sessions, can openly express their, emotions, and concerns. Through active listening and effective communication techniques, I help identify underlying issues, improve their understanding of each other, and develop strategies for resolving conflicts. Whether couples are seeking to strengthen their bond, navigate major life transitions, or heal from past wounds, my goal is to facilitate growth, enhance their connection, and empower them

Relationships are hard at times. Feeling disconnected, seemingly going around in circles, unsure of how to break the cycle can be so distressing, especially when it is with someone you care deeply for. Using the Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) model, I support couples to make sense of where and why they are feeling stuck, the safety to courageously express their needs and emotions, and a renewed feeling of connection to grow together in a more fulfilling way.

The challenges couples face, including difficulty communicating, conflict, trust issues, blended families and work rotations can precipitate significant relationship distress. Support in addressing these issues can have a signifiacant positive impact on overall relationship functioning. The fact that relationships are one of our primary coping mechanisms multiplies the potential distress when these are present as it impacts the very mechanisms we use to cope.

Do you find yourself caught in a negative cycle of interactions with your partner? Are you wanting to reconnect and have more intimacy and joy? Together we can map out your patterns and make the negative cycle the enemy, not the other person. Life is tough enough--our relationships should be our refuge and the place we feel supported and inspired by one another. We can focus on communication, understanding for one another, emotion regulation, boundaries, or how to reconnect meaningfully as a couple.

I'm a down-to-earth, client-centered counsellor that can bring new hope to you and new life to your relationships. I specialize in marriage and couples counselling. I'm trained in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy and Gottman Couples Therapy. With over ten years of experience, I have the tools to get your relationship back on track. I also offer intensive therapy for highly distressed couples. I'm here and ready to listen with warmth, kindness and compassion, without any judgement or criticism.

As a married individual in a long-term relationship, I know how challenging it can be! However your partner is worth the work. By learning how to identify and share your feelings with one another, it can strengthen your relationship and create a bond that will last the toughest of times. Even if it seems your relationship is too far gone to save, if both partners commit to change there can be a path forward to flourishing!

Our training includes the Gottman Model for couples therapy, which is well-grounded in research. Couples learn how to rebuild their friendship, communicate in a way that does not make the conflict worse, and build emotional intimacy. Relationships are like plants; if we forget to feed the plant every day, it starts to wilt and will eventually die. Indeed, with the demands of our daily lives, our relationships tend to take a back seat - at first, our relationships seem to endure; however, over time, the lack of priority starts to show. We will give you the tools and skills needed to feel satisfied in how you communicate with your spouse, and increase your commitment to one another.

Healing and growing in our sexuality & eroticism can help us understand ourselves and our partners in ways we may have never been privileged to before. It opens us to the appreciation of the full depth and breadth of human erotic expression. I work with individuals and couples. My approach is informed by training as an Erotic Blueprint Coach, somatic attachment and conscious kink. All forms of love, relationship structures, and sexual expression welcome.

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

Relationships can bring both joy and challenge, and it’s natural to feel stuck at times. My goal is to provide a supportive and balanced space where partners feel heard, understood, and respected. I draw on the Gottman Method to help strengthen communication, rebuild trust, and shift unhelpful patterns into helpful ways of relating. Through an attachment-focused lens, we also explore how past and present experiences shape the way each partner shows up in the relationship. Navigating stress or conflict, I integrate nervous system regulation strategies to reduce reactivity and create more safety in moments of tension. Together, we work toward building connection, intimacy, and resilience.

Sol and Robin Menard are trained in using Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT). EFT is reasearch proven to have a 75-90% success rate with couples. It is one of two therapies for working with couples that is approved of by the American Psychological Association. There are many benefits to undergoing couples therapy using the EFt model. Benefits include: increased closeness/emotional intimacy, increased sexual intimacy, ability to communicate and express feelings and needs, increased safety, increased trust, more flexibility in the relationship, less fears of abandonment, and overall peace and security.

Couples counselling focuses on enhancing communication, understanding, and connection between partners. My approach is tailored to each couple's unique dynamics, addressing intimacy, conflict resolution, communication and emotional support. I provide a safe and non-judgmental space for both partners to express their needs and concerns, facilitating more profound empathy and collaboration. By working together, couples can strengthen their bond, develop healthier patterns of interaction, and create a more fulfilling relationship.

Couples therapy with me offers a safe, respectful space to untangle conflict, rebuild connection and strengthen your relationship. Whether you're struggling with communication, trust, or feeling distant, we'll work together to understand what's beneath the surface and create new ways of relating. I support both partners with compassion and curiousity, helping you feel heard and valued. Through honest conversation and practical tools, you can move from stuck patterns toward deeper intimacy, understanding and shared growth -- one conversation at a time.

I work with communication between couples as well as the individual self talk that is sometimes a factor underlyubg discord. Recognizing Anger and Guilt as valuable emotions that can act as 'warning lights on the dashboard', I help uncover the deeper root feelings that are often more vulnerable but also more grounding and connecting. Using a Debriefing flow sheet based on Nonviolent Communication, a model authored by Marshall Rosenberg, I help couples to identify the things that are really important to them and reconnect with a sense of clarity, understanding and compassion for themselves and each other.