Great Couples Counselling in West Point Grey, BC. Therapy to heal relationships.

In my work with individuals, I have noticed folks come to therapy because of challenges in their relationships. I draw on the Gottman Method which focuses on helping folks build stronger emotional connections, improve communication, and manage conflict effectively. We work on strengthening the "friendship system" of the relationship, which includes trust, intimacy, and mutual respect, while also addressing deeper issues like shared goals and values. By using practical tools and exercises, the Gottman Method helps people foster a sense of understanding and partnership, creating a foundation for a more fulfilling and resilient relationship.

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.

Couples counseling, rooted in the Gottman Method, focuses on enhancing communication, understanding, and connection between partners. Through assessments like the Sound Relationship House, we help couples identify patterns of interaction and areas of strength and growth. Interventions such as the "Four Horsemen" and "Repair Attempts" aid in addressing conflict constructively and fostering emotional attunement. By nurturing friendship, managing conflict, and building shared meaning, couples cultivate stronger bonds and develop skills for sustaining a healthy, fulfilling relationship.

The research around attachment tells us that having a sense of closeness with others is essential to our well-being. When partners feel a lack of connection, it can touch on past wounds that may even exacerbate the present difficulties. All couples go through challenging times, and it is important that both individuals remain allies, even through trouble. Skilled couples counselling can support this, and help the relationship become stronger than ever before. I draw from a number of approaches when working with couples, especially Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, Solution Focused Brief Therapy, and communication approaches such as Non Violent Communication.

Do you or your partner suffer from social anxiety and it's affecting your relationship? Social anxiety is a fear of negative judgment from others and it can lead to reduced levels of intimacy, suppressed emotions, feelings of isolation and loneliness and lack of communication. If one or both of you feels anxious socially, your relationship may be suffering too. Contact me for ways in which you can move past social anxiety to a fuller, intimate, richer, relaxed more authentic relationship.

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

In times of conflict we feel attacked and unsafe. We are flooded with emotions and act out of a sense of being overwhelmed: "Attack," "Run!" "Comply!" and "Hide!" are some of the ways we respond to conflict. In counselling, couples learn to see themselves as separate from each other and therefore less threatened. Once the emotional storm is diffused, couples can learn specific skills and perspectives that heal the relationship. But we do not seek simply to return to the status quo. Couples can then learn to hear, value and enjoy each other. Life with your partner can be fun and every day a day of discovering the pleasure of the person you are with.

Relational conflict can take a hug toll on your mental health, and on your children. Maybe your starting out in a relationship and want to get started on the right foot, or perhaps you're ready to call it quits but want to give it one last try. Wherever you're at I can help you and you're partner identify where you're getting stuck, and teach you the skills to find a path forward. I use Relational Life Therapy to help couples. A ground-breaking new approach to couples therapy that that is wildly effective and much faster than traditional approaches. I'll help you communicate as equals on the same playing field, teaching you the skills of relational empowerment that have transformed my life.

In the couple therapy , I assist the couples to identify the dysfunctional patterns that they get stuck in and to understand the underlying maladaptive emotions. I guide partners to become more aware of primary anger and sadness, fear and shame, and the attendant needs and to regulate, make sense of, and communicate these in non-demanding ways to promote security, validation, and warmth. In addition, I help partners reveal their most vulnerable feelings to each other to promote bonding and validation and help couples learn to soothe and transform emotions that are maladaptive.

I utilize Gottman Therapy, having completed Levels 1 and 2 training. Our sessions begin with an assessment to identify the specific issues affected the relationship whether it was an affair , lack of communication and connection or other challenges. The assessment allows us to implement the most effective interventions. Through Gottman Therapy, we can enhance the relationship between partners and foster a stronger connection in a relatively short period.

Relationships are work, and each person in a relationship brings their own unique set of baggage to the relationship. Some of it is good and some of it is challenging. Depending on the type of couple (married, dating, common law, heterosexual, homosexual) the goals can be quite different. In counselling we can explore what those goals are and what baggage, or different values are contributing to the challenges. Even though relationships are work, they should also be the greatest place for reward. Working through understanding the goals, expectations, values, emotions and areas of conflict in the relationship, the reward can be achieved.

The Gottman Method helps couples break out of painful cycles by applying research from over 3,000 couple-- 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 in a new direction

Couples therapy. I am trained in solution focused couples therapy to bring the issues at hand right out at the first appointment. I ask clients to prepare for their first appointment by bringing in a wish list, what each partner wants the other to get better at, to stop, to do more of, and to do less of. These take us right to the couples' goals and then we begin to work on the most important issues on their list. A successful, peaceful relationship can bring great joy to our lives.