Great Couples Counselling in Redwater, AB. Therapy to heal relationships.

[I OFFER VIDEO SESSIONS THROUGHOUT ALBERTA AND ONTARIO]. Your struggles might seem overwhelming now, but most situations can be rectified. I have worked with many couples, regardless of their lifestyle. I have been a psychologist since 1986. I am also a professor emeritus of counselling psychology. Set up an appointment now before things get worse by going to https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=14249112

When working with couples, my focus is the "relationship". It is my goal to understand the relationship that two people have created; to explore what works and does not work in the relationship. My focus is to create awareness for a couple as to how they maintain and reinforce the existing relationship patterns that may not necessarily work. A new way of relating can then be formed once the relationship is understood. The goal in couples counselling is to create Intimacy in a relationship, yet this can only be formed with safety and vulnerability.

Have You And Your Partner Experienced A Breakdown In Communication? Do you feel unable to work as a team or compromise on important issues? Are there differences between you that you didn’t foresee when your relationship started? Have you both gotten so busy with your lives that sex and intimacy have fallen to the bottom of your list of priorities? Maybe you and your significant other find yourselves arguing in circles—your interactions have become hostile and defensive. Perhaps there’s been infidelity and now you’re wondering if you’ll ever be able to rebuild the trust between you. Or maybe you both get along, but you’re newly married and struggling to blend your families together.

TJ Mackenzie works primarily from an attachment theory-based position while incorporating aspects of emotions focused therapy (EFT), and internal family systems (IFS) theory. For couple’s work, TJ incorporates aspects of Gottman method couples counselling and emotion focused couples’ therapy (EFCT) into his clinical work. Using these methods can be incredibly helpful when working through relational dynamics.

Most people deeply desire a warm and healthy relationship with a spouse or partner. However it requires work and effort, and is not an easy process for either individual in the relationship. On the other hand, the benefits of the effort put in are inevitably well worth it in the long run. If you're looking to work out differences and move towards a more harmonious relationship, I can work with you to find love, acceptance and the tools that work best for you and your relationship.

In a relationship, each member is responsible for an equal share of the dynamic. In a family, that means it splits between the amount of people, and in a couple it’s 50% created by each partner. This 50% is the result of the individual’s needs- both functional and dysfunctional. Functional needs relate to biological drives, culture, relationship goals, values, etc. Dysfunctional needs come from limiting beliefs, which are internalized in our childhood. They create needs like: the need to be in control, or the need to protect oneself. The needs, whether functional or dysfunctional, can balance each other out, creating a “stabilizer” or they can become unmet needs.

It is within our relationships that we experience the most joy and the most pain. Most relationships begin with a deep connection and people anticipate a future that continues to be passionate and fulfilling. It is inevitable, however, that disappointments and misunderstandings arise. Learning to communicate in an effective way that bridges differences and leads to respect and understanding are essential to a happy relationship.

The Gottman Method approach is an empirically based treatment used when couples have become gridlocked. This method starts with thorough assessments that help inform the therapy process through research-based interventions. The goals of this therapy are to learn and practice softened start up communication skills, increase fondness and admiration, manage conflict, create shared meaning, and increase trust and commitment. I have completed Level 1 and 2 Training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy, and I use Gottman Method Couples Therapy in my work. Note: this method is not appropriate for couples where violence is occurring.

I am trained in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy. I help couples heal from the wounds that prevent us from feeling safe and secure in our relationships. These wounds sometimes happened to us long before we found our current partner, and sometimes there is betrayal in the marriage. I help clients recognize how these wounds affect our emotions and behaviors in a way that prevents us from getting what we are most longing for: connection in love.

Loving, successful relationships need to be carefully and skillfully nurtured in the following five areas: Emotional, Intellectual, Spiritual, Sexual, Financial. Couples who are ready to do ongoing work on their relationships are richly rewarded with a loving, meaningful and joyful life together. Committed relationships that have the possibility of morphing into long term relationships benefit greatly by being guided by the Gottman research on relationships as well as Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). Premarital Counselling prepares a couple for a new stage in their relationship by identifying potential areas of conflict and strength and developing tools to create a strong foundation.

I will work with you to develop skills in communication, conflict resolution, and building emotional intimacy and trust in your relationship. I have training in the Gottman Couples Method and have seen couples benefit from the tangible skills taught with this method. Investing in Couples Therapy can be worthwhile at any point in your relationship whether you are dating, married, or common-law partners.

Being in a relationship is not always easy. Sometimes our experiences from relationships in the past, including our own families, can make this even more difficult. It can be hard to love someone when resentment, fear, anger, and confusion stand in the way. As a couples/relationship therapist its my role to help your sort out these concerns and find more effective ways of communicating so that you might be able to love and care more freely with greater trust and openness. LGBTQ2+ Friendly.

My therapy is focused on helping Couple's relationships improvement. My commitment is to listening closely and finely adapting mine counseling to the individual coming in for help. I am trained in CBT, and family systems therapy andI I enjoy working with people of diverse cultures and background. Many troubling issues in current Couple's relationships are rooted in patterns established in their childhood. In my counseling sessions, I look at the lifestyle you learned to relate as a child and how that behavior interferes with experiencing freedom and intimacy today. I guide my clients to begin a trusting relationship where they can speak honestly with their partner of the issues that most crash them and the events where they have felt anger, fear,...(view profile to read more)

In couples counselling, I create a supportive space to help partners communicate more openly and effectively. I use tools and techniques, primarily from the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), to strengthen connection and resolve conflicts. These approaches help couples understand each other’s needs and build trust. I guide partners in exploring their emotions, communication patterns, and shared goals, helping them develop a deeper connection and a stronger, healthier relationship.

In couples therapy, I draw from both Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) to help partners reconnect, understand each other, and build hope for the future. I create a space where partners can express their needs, emotions, and vulnerabilities in a way that deepens their emotional connection. Together, we work on strengthening their bond by identifying negative cycles and helping them respond to each other’s emotional needs with compassion and understanding. By combining these approaches, I help couples build trust, improve communication, and develop a more secure, loving connection that fosters lasting hope and growth.

I have a significant caseload of relationship therapy clients. I am comfortable with essentially any type of relationship taking place between consenting adults. I accept the orientation(s) of the parties to a relationship, and am as a rule able to come from there. If I have a bias, it is to preserve the being of the relationship, the "we" that emerges when one and another form a bond. My bias notwithstanding, I am able to assist parties to a relationship to achieve a more peaceful separation/termination when that is their choice.

I've worked with multiple couples in many kinds of relationships. Whether dating, engaged, married, separated, or divorced, my goal is to help you in the most genuine way, to improve your communication, to solve some of your unsolvable problems and to break down barriers that may be getting in the way of achieving all you hope to in your relationship. As a professional, I am extensively trained to remain neutral and work towards the best for both individuals of the couple.

Creating stronger relationships through the research- based Gottman approach. Couples who wish to develop a deeper awareness and connection in their relationships will benefit in using E- Counselling to enhance communication and bonding. Often when we are in a face to face conversation we are thinking of our next response rather than allowing the other person to be understood. Using a secure and completely confidential web based Gottman trained counsellor will help break down the barriers of communication and improve relationship dynamics. Couples can expect more understanding, respect and intimacy in their relationship. LGBT relationships are welcome.

The context of a relationship brings much more information to the surface then if we were alone. This can be very challenging and counseling can help sort this out. Couples counseling provides the opportunity to examine things as they play out within the couple. This arrangement can leads us to see first hand the strengths we have to connect with others. I have successfully worked with people from a variety of backgrounds to treat a variety of couples issues and look forward to working with you. Visit my website at www.prairieowlpsychology.ca from more details.

Working together with couples for pre-marriage counselling, couples issues, or marriage counselling allows clients to work through the issues (the "ripples" in the carpet) that they continue to trip over. Client's begin to connect with each other, reconcile the relationship, improve communication and intimacy, rebuild trust, as well as many other enhancements.

In my work I am enabling couples to resolve disagreements, or agree to disagree, without becoming disconnected or abusive. Given that different couples might need different types of intervention, the mechanisms of change vary accordingly. Therefore, in order to achieve change and enable growth, I am using an integrative approach, which I tailor to suit the needs, experiences, and personal circumstances of the couple.

Many relationships hit a point where help and support are needed. Opening up the pathways of communication and learning how to successfully move through breeches within the relationship and move towards repair, can have couples finding themselves liking one another again and feeling much closer. If this kind of support feel needs, reach out today through email or by phone.

Are you and your partner struggling with any of the following? • Communication difficulties, • Escalating or repetitive conflicts that remain unresolved, • Difficulty getting on the same page regarding parenting responsibilities or family roles, • Impacts related to extended family relationship problems, • A loss or lack of intimacy, • Stress management problems, • Financial conflict Mindful Centre Counsellors are here to help you work through challenges, improve connection, and repair relationship injuries using Prepare Enrich and Gottman methods proven to support relationship improvements.

Working with couples is a particular love of mine. Being in a relationship that continuously grows and evolves I know the value of a good relationship. When it does not thrive it can be miserable. Having an objective outsider who is skilled in pointing out negative patterns and helping you work through hurts and grievances can often save a relationship that appeared doomed. We always need to be able to express our wants and needs and feel heard and equally we need to do the same for our partners. The latter is not always so easy but that can be where the gold is! Of course we often feel its a one way street and then different strategies have to be applied.

Over the years, I have worked with couples helping them improve their relationship, prepare for marriage, amicably separate or divorce, and do so in ways that are also healthy for their children. What I call the Building Blocks of Being a Couple, I help couples explore these aspects of their relationship: Acknowledging each other’s perspectives, Learning about the meaning of behaviours, Exploring the effects on emotional well-being, and Co-exploring stressors that are impacting the relationship. Building a healthy relationship includes: Improving communication, Working together as a team for problem-solving and a healthy family life, and Living with joy, intimacy, harmony, and love.