Counselling for traditional and non-traditional relationships

“There is no greater source of joy or meaning in our lives than our relationships with others.”

– Esther Perel

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No relationship is conflict free, but a healthy relationship will feel attuned and safe. Relationships shape our lives and how we understand ourselves – they are often our most accurate mirror into ourselves. Healthy relationships can offer us a sense of purpose, meaning and security in life, they can make the world a little less scary. A healthy relationship needs nurturing and tending to, skills that many of us were not taught.

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While many of the relationships we work with are romantic in nature, we offer counselling for friendships, family relationships, and professional relationships, too.

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Couples Concerns

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If you and/or your partner regularly experience some of the following, it may indicate that your relationship is in distress:

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• Sex and intimacy

• Intimacy, connection, and emotional safety

• Attachment injuries

• Communication and conflict

• Physical or mental health concerns

• Co-dependency or hyper-independence

• Ethical non-monogamy & non-traditional relationship structures

• Maintenance of the health of the relationship or previous
  relational work

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In our couples work, some of the methodologies and theories we rely on include Gottman methods, attachment theory, and Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy.

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Family Concerns

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• Adult children managing aging or ill parents

• Working through anger and resentments

• Parenting strategies for young kids and adolescents

• Improving communication

• Conflict management strategies

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Work and Professional Concerns

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• Assertiveness and self-confidence

• Communication and conflict

• Boundary setting

• Perfectionism and managing expectations

• Advocating for yourself

• Self-care

• Short term disability

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In our relationship work, you will gain awareness of your blind spots and the ways in which you positively and negatively contribute to the difficulties you experience in relationships. You will also develop valuable skills to help you navigate relational challenges with the goal of creating healthy alliances that are mutually beneficial. Finally, you will learn how to assess which relationships are worth investing in and which ones are no longer serving you.