Great Couples Counselling in Cranbrook, BC. Therapy to heal relationships.

Relationships are the most important thing we can do! While the relationship with ourselves is primary, a close second is having a loving healthy relationship with the person we hope to live the longest with: our partner. We do better in life if we have someone supportive behind us. I work with all kinds of couples and even when only one person in the relationship shows up. I am trained in both the Gottman and Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples.

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.

The first step with my approach to couples therapy is for us to establish rapport as you inform me of the problem that has brought you to therapy. I use a Choice Theory approach which includes defining more closely what each of you want for yourselves as individuals and the relationship as a whole. From there, we get to work on rebuilding trust in the relationship by enhancing communication skills so each of you feel listened to, heard, and respected. Then we can build on trust to establish the changes needed to restore the happiness that brought you together in the first place.

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.

Couples counseling provides a supportive space to strengthen your relationship, enhance communication, and resolve conflicts. My approach focuses on understanding each partner’s perspective, identifying patterns that may be causing tension, and fostering deeper emotional connection. Together, we work on building trust, improving intimacy, and developing tools to navigate challenges constructively. Clients benefit from a renewed sense of partnership, greater empathy for one another, and the skills to create a more harmonious and fulfilling relationship.

Couples counselling often focuses on helping partners learn to manage conflicts in a respectful and caring manner, improve their ability to listen deeply and accurately to one another, and heal from emotional wounds. Building healthy intimate relationships involves understanding your partner’s aspirations and dreams, increasing commitment to the relationship, and learning to identify and overcome potential obstacles to open and effective communication with your partner. Other common focus areas include helping partners to recall and renew their friendship, increase their shared pleasure and enjoyment, and strengthening the emotional connection that initially attracted them to one another.

Healing and growing in our sexuality & eroticism can help us understand ourselves and our partners in ways we may have never been privileged to before. It opens us to the appreciation of the full depth and breadth of human erotic expression. I work with individuals and couples. My approach is informed by training as an Erotic Blueprint Coach, somatic attachment and conscious kink. All forms of love, relationship structures, and sexual expression (from the most sensual "vanilla" to the raunchiest kink) welcome.

Bettina specializes in couples/relationship counselling. She has completed Level 1 and 2 of Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy as well as Dr. Gary Chapman's training with The Five Love Languages. Bettina believes having a better understanding of each other's differences as well as similarities, creates trust, acceptance, compassion, understanding, and passion in relationships. The more couples are able to communicate their feelings, needs and wants with each other, the more the relationship can thrive. Bettina uses Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, The Enneagram Personality Program, and communication tools to help couples feel heard, understood, and accepted in their relationships.

Couples counselling offers a supportive space where partners can navigate challenges and enhance their relationship. Through guided sessions, couples can improve communication, address conflicts, and develop effective strategies for resolving issues. Therapists facilitate understanding, helping couples explore underlying dynamics and strengthen their emotional connection. By engaging in couples counselling, partners can foster healthier interactions, rebuild trust, and work collaboratively to create a more fulfilling and harmonious partnership.