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

The majority of the work I do is with couples. Which is not surprising considering we are relational beings and the quality of those relationships is the greatest predictor and factor in longevity, health, and wellbeing. Many things in the modern world have become a barrier to connected and intimate relationships, these things can be understood through the lens of identities, attachment styles, communication styles, and Parts Work.

Relationships can be a great source of pleasure, support and companionship. They can also be deeply painful, and being lonely in the context of an intimate relationship is the most profound loneliness we can experience. A relationship can only be as strong as the individuals in it since each brings his or her own needs, strengths and weaknesses to it. Commitment and willingness to work on themselves as well as the relationship is key to making it work. Change may be scary, but not changing may be even more scary. Counselling can help address the impasses, chronic challenges, or long-standing patterns of interaction that create blocks to intimacy, as well as nurture the love beneath.

Sol and Robin Menard are trained in using Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT). EFT is reasearch proven to have a 75-90% success rate with couples. It is one of two therapies for working with couples that is approved of by the American Psychological Association. There are many benefits to undergoing couples therapy using the EFt model. Benefits include: increased closeness/emotional intimacy, increased sexual intimacy, ability to communicate and express feelings and needs, increased safety, increased trust, more flexibility in the relationship, less fears of abandonment, and overall peace and security.

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 welcome.

Relationships are hard at times. Feeling disconnected, seemingly going around in circles, unsure of how to break the cycle can be so distressing, especially when it is with someone you care deeply for. Using the Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) model, I support couples to make sense of where and why they are feeling stuck, the safety to courageously express their needs and emotions, and a renewed feeling of connection to grow together in a more fulfilling way.

Couples counselling focuses on enhancing communication, understanding, and connection between partners. My approach is tailored to each couple's unique dynamics, addressing intimacy, conflict resolution, communication and emotional support. I provide a safe and non-judgmental space for both partners to express their needs and concerns, facilitating more profound empathy and collaboration. By working together, couples can strengthen their bond, develop healthier patterns of interaction, and create a more fulfilling relationship.

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.

As a married individual in a long-term relationship, I know how challenging it can be! However your partner is worth the work. By learning how to identify and share your feelings with one another, it can strengthen your relationship and create a bond that will last the toughest of times. Even if it seems your relationship is too far gone to save, if both partners commit to change there can be a path forward to flourishing!

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

Relationships can bring both joy and challenge, and it’s natural to feel stuck at times. My goal is to provide a supportive and balanced space where partners feel heard, understood, and respected. I draw on the Gottman Method to help strengthen communication, rebuild trust, and shift unhelpful patterns into helpful ways of relating. Through an attachment-focused lens, we also explore how past and present experiences shape the way each partner shows up in the relationship. Navigating stress or conflict, I integrate nervous system regulation strategies to reduce reactivity and create more safety in moments of tension. Together, we work toward building connection, intimacy, and resilience.

Have you begun to wonder if there is even hope for your relationship at all? Have your questioned if it's even worth it? Or long forgotten what you and your partner ever saw in each other? You are not alone! And I can assure you, there IS hope! Relationships are like gardens...they never grow well on their own. If yours is hurting, there IS a reason. And I can not only help you find it, I can help you to heal and restore what you both have lost. You have struggled long enough. Let me help you find each other again.

Are you and your partner stuck in unsolvable arguments? Does one of you tend to ‘demand’ more while the other shuts down and withdraws? Are you feeling less connected and actually adding stress to each other’s lives instead of reducing it? While frustrating, these are perfectly normal patterns of partnership and there is hope. I would be glad to help you untangle the knots, learning to team up together instead of entering battles over who is right. In doing so, we will unpack past traumas and patterns of behaviour, learning to better communicate and to be safely vulnerable in a way that stands your relationship on solid ground.

Relationship counselling is for individuals and couples who need to make some changes in their present situation. Distress can be caused by a breakdown in communication, too much conflict, difficulty acknowledging and expressing feelings, sexual problems, family patterns etc. Often our family of origin issues have been activated and we have raw spots in a relationship. As a counsellor I meet with couples individually for their first session (to explore history and listen to their experience of the problem) and then I bring them together. I help create a safe space to be emotionally honest and explore ways to overcome your patterns and find connection.