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Couple Therapy

Couples Counseling

Couples often seek counselling when relationship problems begin to interfere with daily functioning or when partners are unsure about continuing the relationship. Couples often approach counselling with the expectation that a therapist can help in some way, though they may not know just how they want the therapist to help. Some couples may want to develop better communication skills, increase intimacy, or learn to navigate new terrain in their lives. Others may expect the therapist to mediate their arguments or take sides and declare which partner is right.

Relationship psychotherapists are unlikely to take sides or recommend that a couple end their relationship. Instead, they will allow the therapy process to unfold naturally without a predetermined goal of “saving” the relationship. The therapist will help the partners by supporting the goals set by the couple and helping each partner to communicate his or her desires, feelings and emotional needs more clearly and to pay attention to the other partner more carefully.

For relationship counselling to significantly help a relationship, each partner needs to commit, at a minimum, to the relationship counselling for the time it continues. Each partner should show honesty, an interest in doing relationship work, and a readiness to accept personal responsibility.

couples counseling near me
couples therapy near me

When Relationship Problems Point to Abuse

All couples argue from time to time, but when insults, criticism, intimidation, threats, humiliation, or stonewalling become routine, the relationship enters the realm of emotional abuse. Signs of emotional or psychological abuse are often more subtle and harder to identify than those of physical abuse, although the psychological impact of emotional abuse is likely to be as severe as or worse than that of physical abuse.

Healthy boundaries are not present in abusive relationships, and this fact may make the therapy process difficult or impossible, as the safety of each partner is vital to ensuring positive treatment outcomes. Some psychotherapists will not engage in relationship counselling if violence has occurred, unless and until both partners show tremendous growth in the areas of boundaries and safety.

Couples Counseling

THE BEST EXPIRIENCE

UNIQUE SERVICE

We provide treatment sessions in-person and remotely (phone or video call).