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

The couple relationship holds the potential for deep growth and lasting fulfillment, yet can be the source of so much confusion and anger, self-doubt and blaming. As a trained Marriage and family therapist, working with couples for over eight years, I am able to effectively support couples through hurts, resentments, and challenges to becoming more connected, loving, and passionate.

Relationships can be stressful and have challenging moments at various parts of our lives. Conflicts occur for several reasons including: poor communication, differences in parenting, blended family concerns, financial strain, lack of intimacy/ trust, life transitions, and cultural differences. Marriage counselling can help you increase your ability to communicate more effectively, listen to each other's perspective, identify specific problems, understand the gridlocked issues, and determine strategies to help strengthen your conflict management and coping skills, while moving towards a more healthy and compatible relationship. I am Gottman trained and use many of the assessment tools.

Couples therapy starts with becoming aware of patterns, how we persistently engage with each other even though patterns inevitably fail to bring us the results we want. The problem is that our patterns are so deeply embedded that we blindly accept them, not merely as beliefs but as the truth of who we are. Together we will look at your patterns as they are, not as fate but rather as choices, is a freeing experience that opens the door to change. . Through the therapeutic process you begin to discover that you need not be restricted by old habits and past experience; that you can actually choose how you want your relationship to grow and evolve using the tools I provide. I am here for you!

In November 2014 Kathryn recently completed Level One and Level Two Clinical Training of the Gottman Method Couples Therapy. This world renowned research based therapy was developed over 30 years with the participation of 3500 couples by Dr. John Gottman and Dr. Julie Gottman. These powerful techniques have saved thousands of relationships and will surely benefit your relationship.

Achieve clear and effective communications, learn to speak about expectations and disappointments, set boundaries and mutual goals, ease tension and conflicts, discuss and process past hurts, learn the freedom in taking responsibility or owning our actions, patterns, and projections. These are some of the benefits of couples counseling. Where appropriate, Janine incorporates Art therapy or creative activities that can be completed both separately and together to assist in your particular the healing journey.

There are now known, research-proven behaviors that predict the success or split of a couple! And we also know that just teaching new skills to couples doesn't ensure the relationship will improve over time. What works best is helping couples learn how to shift out of states of being that keep them from using the skills they learn. If you are on a familiar track of fighting or fleeing, you may find it impossible to use helpful relationship skills unless you can shift your state of mind. It also help couples to get a broader and deeper perspective on what's going on in their relationship, so they can make decisions that work.

Even with someone you adore, relationships require communication, compromise, kindness and flexibility. Bringing two people together who have grown up in different families, with different patterns of feeling, thinking and acting, creates challenges. Learning how to ask for what you want, resolve what feels stuck and be kind and respectful to each other is not something we are born with. As an objective person I can provide a new perspective to what feels like the same problem that keeps repeating. I will help you identify the patterns preventing your from enjoying each other to the fullest and learn new ways to enjoy safety, love and satisfaction together.

Angela supports couples to develop positive new perspectives of their relationship/marriage. Angela has completed Level 3 training in the Gottman Method and is committed to helping couples gain renewed hope and connection through the use of activities targeting problem areas within the relationship. Couples gain new communication, understanding and conflict resolution skills that foster increased trust, friendship and intimacy! Bring peace to your relationship and call today!

Do you lie in bed looking at the ceiling thinking, "I just can't do this another day"? Are you seeking for ways out? Thinking of alternate life situations? Is looking at porn become a replacement for sex with your spouse? What about romance novels, are you stuck in a world of non-reality, wishing that prince charming would make his acquaintance, and do it fast! Do you hate the way you have to wean through his dirty socks to get to the bed...or deal with her city of bottles on your bathroom vanity counter? Have you breached your marriage vows with someone else, or sought the unhealthy friendship of someone from the opposite sex online or at the office? It is time to take the love back.

Experience: Throughout my 20 years of professional experience in the human services field I have been driven by a passion for helping others that I now bring to Clinical Counseling. It is rewarding to serve youth, adults, and families, helping them to overcome distressing and traumatic life events while realizing their strengths and resilient qualities. My clinical counselling practice includes supporting individuals who experience anxiety, depression, PTSD, grief and loss, self-harming behaviors, suicide ideation, and those who experienced domestic violence. My lived experiences inform my practice. Being married for 33 years and raising three children, now young adults, has increased my empathy, compassion, and understanding for youth, adults, and...(view profile to read more)

Individual therapy is complementary with couple therapy. Clients come in to get individual therapy and then feel the need to bring their partner/spouse to overcome obstacles that are causing stress. I work with both people to create unhealthy and equally respected environment in the home. Each household is different thereby each need of each person is different, I help clients address their needs with their partner. The clients work through worksheets, role playing, make lists and do other exercises that encouraging positive change and healthy communication skills.

Charlene has over 10 years experience working with couples. Couples counselling can help to identify the problem issues that each couple is facing and provide them with effective tools to work through these issues. Couples counselling can improve communication between couples, teach couples how to fight fairly and to work together during difficult times. Call Charlene to discuss how she can help you and your partner find your way back to love.

In working with couples, I use an emotionally focused therapy approach (EFT). Sometimes the treatment process benefits from drawing on other sources such as Narrative therapy, Gottman, or Experiential therapy however my foundation works from EFT. I have experience in working with EFT in various couple dynamics.