Great Couples Counselling in White Rock, BC. Therapy to heal relationships.

Relationships are a crucial component of human health and happiness, and my passion involves helping people develop better connections with others as well as with themselves. By offering a setting that is based on trust, empathy, and collaboration, counselling can provide you with a safe and supportive space to explore your thoughts and emotions while creating a deeper, more authentic understanding of who you are, what you need, and the dynamics that you are navigating. Whether you attend alone or with a partner, I believe that there can be great value in processing relationships from the past or present as well as exploring the relationship that you're maintaining with yourself.

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.

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

It can be extremely difficult when we are experiencing issues in our closest relationships. Thankfully, a lot of these issues come down to communication skills that can be learned. When using active listening skills, you can begin to create a fuller understanding of your partner(s). We can also work on skills to express your own needs and desires in an effective way, using Non-Violent Communication tools. More often than not, we become frustrated when we don’t feel understood, but the reality is that we are not communicating properly, and our partners are not mind-readers, as much as we would like them to be (sometimes). Together we can create a more stable, loving foundation to grow from.

Do you feel alone in your relationship? Are you tired of nagging? Do you freeze, shut down, or walk on eggshells? I help each partner feel secure in the relationship, and able to express their deepest longings, and hear each other. Together, I help couples shift away from negative interactions, and become fully engaged in a positive connection. I clarify what is going on beneath the surface in your relationship, and assist you in recognizing the problem interactions, and deeper emotional needs, so that we can team up to deal with it together. I mentor you to understand each other's experience, so you can take over managing your relationship yourselves in a caring, fulfilling way.

Anyone who is in a relationship knows that they're difficult! I practiced couples therapy and taught couples therapy for several years before I learned Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). Now I know what I was missing! I've discovered that it's only through being in the emotion and understanding the attachment significance of what we experience that we can make the fundamental changes that transform our lives and our relationships. You will likely find that showing up in couples therapy means a lot to your partner. I will help you make sense of the rest. You only need to be willing to participate in the process and be honest about how you feel as we go. It's work but here are big rewards!

I work with couples using Gottman Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy and Attachment Therapy. I will help you identify your maladaptive patterns of behaviour and improve your communication skills. There is no shame in getting some coaching in how we connect with each other and how we can better meet each others needs. I use a strengths based approach to help you see the positives and remember why you fell in love.

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.

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a model of couples counselling that has proven to repair broken relationships. Through EFT, couples gain the skills necessary to understand themselves and communicate their emotional needs which enhances intimacy and the relational bond. With EFT, I focus on creating a safe and secure environment for couples to explore their emotions and the underlying patterns that contribute to their relationship challenges. and fulfilling relationship, and my goal is to help my clients build the foundation necessary to achieve that.

In an environment of safety and respect, it is my hope that each person will develop a greater self-awareness and a sincere willingness to change. Couples will learn to listen to and understand the feelings and needs of their partner, as well as to communicate their own more effectively. Couples will identify the repetitive negative patterns in their relationship that create distress and alienate one from the other. Each person also will explore negative thought and behaviour patterns within themselves, and relevant past issues that may be contributing to their difficulties. It is my hope that couples will discover that they do have the capability to build a healthy relationship.