Great Couples Counselling in Bowen Island, BC. Therapy to heal relationships.

Real Solutions to Real Challenges. Common Sense Techniques. Short-term & Cost Effective. All couples are exposed to challenges such as; traumas, accidents, sickness, infidelities, job loss, grief, and unproductive communication cycles. Individuals histories contain our unique interpretation of ourselves and our world and how we currently cope and function. Understanding more about our selves, recognizing unfulfilled intentions, and discharging umcomfortable feeling will produce greater self-acceptance and communion/ imtimacy with our partners

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.

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.

I help couples, friends, and various other dyads work on their connection and experience with one another. Our friends and romantic partners can make us feel certain ways (contrary to common messaging nowadays!) which impacts the relationship as a whole. I work in a systems approach to help you get clarity and reach the goals you would like in your relationship.

Couples counselling with me will ensure both people feel heard and understood. Counselling will begin with understanding the nature of the couple's difficulties, then setting collaborative goals. I believe it's important that every session has active listening and validation from both people in the couple. I encourage couples to be honest in session, take accountability for their actions, and look for ways of forgiveness and turning inwards together. My approach is grounded in emotion-focused and Gottman method strategies, and recognizes that each person has their own individuality and love languages that requires care and respect.

In Couples Counselling with me, I blend therapeutic approaches, including Gottman Couples Therapy, to create a safe, nonjudgmental space for partners to openly communicate and address relationship concerns. Through evidence-based techniques like Gottman assessments and proven strategies, couples can enhance understanding, develop healthier communication, and rebuild trust. The benefits include improved communication, emotional intimacy, and a renewed connection. Whether resolving conflicts, reigniting the spark, or enhancing the bond, I empower couples to build a fulfilling partnership.

Intimate relationships often challenge us in ways few other relationships or experiences do. Whether you are starting a new relationship or struggling as a couple, I can help you address issues such as trust, intimacy, communication, conflict, and distance that might be preventing you from finding harmony in your relationship. In our work together, you can gain insight into how to improve patterns of relating to one another, learn about the possible origins of these patterns, find ways to de-escalate conflict, and move toward building trust, intimacy, and a sense of greater connection.

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.

Our intimate relationships are where our deepest issues arise and our greatest healing can occur. In couples therapy we build on the principles of openness and honesty, creating a safe space where each partner can safely share their deepest needs and concerns. We work on individual awareness of personal issues that each person brings with them from their past while focussing on deepening the connection that they each yearn for.

If you are wanting to work on communication, managing conflict and improving your connection I would love to work with you. Couple relationships are hard work, and more than simple learning how to talk and spend time together. We will learn, in our work together, your relational style, your emotion processing styles, raw spots and how you both prefer connection to be experienced. We will also learn skills of healing relational ruptures when they occur.

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)

Relationship counselling focuses on the question "Why aren’t you having fun together?" Satisfying relationships require intimacy, honest communication, and interdependence. But sometimes they can seem like a Groundhog Day of bickering, criticizing, withdrawing, and frustration. I'm here to help clarify, demystify, and encourage you to speak frankly and listen deeply to each other. Is the message you’ve sent your partner the message that’s been received? Are you distinguishing freedom from license (interfering with the other's freedom, are demands disguised as boundaries? Through counselling, you can improve intimacy and communication, rebuild trust, and strengthen your emotional connection.

Sue Johnson teaches in her emotion focussed therapy that there is a specific emotional process - a dance - that occurs between each couple. This cycle of relating (which can start with not getting one’s needs met and be followed by some protective response, for example), is largely informed by each partner’s early attachment wounds. When our relationship does not offer enough safety to be vulnerable, or when the more honest we are with our partner the more our connection is threatened, it’s time to reach out for support. In couples therapy we work to establish safety, vulnerability and connection, as well as learn the practical skills of effective communication and conflict resolution.

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.

I have been trained in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, the Gottman Method and Family Systems. Typically I meet with the couple together for the first session to get an understanding of the presenting problem from both perspectives. From there I meet with each person individually to take a brief relationship and family history and to form a relationship of trust and safety with each partner. The goal is to identify the negative cycle of communication between partners, identify underlying feelings and fears that drive this cycle and finally to create a more secure bond between the couple. I am very experienced with working with couples where one or both partners have experienced trauma

All couples have a unique and dynamic bond that comes with its ups and downs. I believe any couple can benefit from counselling and therapy to address the issues they have. Counselling helps us to understand ourselves and the other person and can ultimately bring us closer together. Whatever you are struggling with, I can help you come to a better understanding of each other and yourselves. I can help your relationship overcome the challenges and strengthen the bond between you. I offer support to all genders and orientations and believe diversity makes a happy community. Contact me to start strengthening your bond today.

Relationships can become tense, defensive, and hostile. Sometimes, ruptures in trust occur that leave us questioning "should I still be with you?" When our relationships feel insecure, we react often through becoming critical/nagging, or shutting down and checking out. I practice a form of evidence-based couples therapy called Emotion-Focused Therapy for Couples (EFT). Through EFT, we identify the negative cycle that has come to define your relationship, and work to repair this ruptured attachment bond, helping partners feel safer and freer around one another. This leads to improved intimacy, better communication, and a stronger emotional connection.

Have previous couples therapy sessions left you feeling discouraged, like the focus was only on surface-level issues without truly healing the core of your relationship? Imago therapy is different. Quyn guides couples like you go beyond symptom reduction to address and heal childhood wounds, break old patterns of relating, and build lasting intimacy. In your sessions--online or in-person--you'll gain tools to nurture and maintain a deep, loving bond. With Quyn's understanding of intercultural dynamics and fluency in English and Vietnamese, she ensures a safe, non-judgmental space for profound growth and connection. Let's rebuild your relationship from the inside out! Visit www.quynle.com

I use the Gottman method to help couples work through their marital concerns to establish a friendship, nurture a stronger emotional bond, find shared meaning, and learn skills for conflict resolution. Couples typically engage in therapy to strengthen their connection, cope with crisis situations, and improve communication. I work with partners to instill a sense of understanding by breaking unhealthy patterns of communication and behaviours that may be showing up due to earlier experiences. Couples are provided with the opportunity to navigate through difficult relational dynamics to achieve happiness, fulfillment, and satisfaction in their relationship.

EFFECTIVE COUPLE AND MARRIAGE COUNSELLING I specialize in helping couples resolve those painful relationship struggles that no matter how hard you try, leave you feeling desperate and alone. In a safe and compassionate environment, you will discover new communication patterns that calm fears and strengthen warm connection. Research shows that 86% of couples completing the Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) approach - my approach - report experiencing greater happiness in their relationship that lasts. BOOK A FREE 15 MINUTE VIDEO OR PHONE CONSULTATION at francesbrowncounselling/janeapp.com or call 604.219.2690

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.

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.

We are proud to offer couples/relationship counselling as we all know that relationships can be both incredibly rewarding and tremendously difficult all at the same time. We believe that trust and safety create a solid foundation from which a relationship can grow. Through both the Gottman method and Emotionally-Focused Couples Therapy we are confident that we can support the growth of healthy, secure attachments characterized by healthy attunement and respect.

Relationships usually start with lots of love and passion. After a while, however, the miscommunication between partners, their previous traumas, and the everyday stresses of life lead to an unhappy couple. With training in evidence-based approaches to helping couples, I help my clients become mindful of the repeating patterns in their relationship and their roots. We will then work together to change these patterns and create new loving healthy patterns. We will work on helping you communicate your true feelings to your partner without blaming, stonewalling, or criticizing. We will focus on helping you become more vulnerable with your partner so that your emotional bond becomes stronger.

I am trained in the Gottman Couples Therapy Method developed by renowned therapists and researchers, Dr.'s Julie and John Gottman. This theory is based on over 25 years of research with couples and has been proven to be successful in helping couples overcome their relationship struggles. I use this approach in my work with both individuals and couples. I help clients determine their unique challenges and apply a variety of strategies to mend these challenges.