Marriage counselling Calgary
Couples counselling is an effective ways to recapture connection in your relationship, finding again the friendship and intimacy you once shared.
Everybody knows that “relationships require a lot of hard work”. Let’s be honest: that’s one of the most overused sayings in regards to relationship advice.
But in spite of that fact, many couples refuse to actually put in that hard work. They invest in their homes, their cars, their vacations and their children, but fail to invest significant time and resources into strengthening their relationship.
That’s where our marriage counsellors can help: at Living Well Calgary Counselling,we use one of the top three most recognized forms of therapies to facilitate healing, create understanding and recapture deep friendship and intimacy once shared. While it can’t promise results, our therapists are dedicated to helping you discover what is left in your relationship and how to salvage and rebuild that, if you both choose to deal with the Relationship Issue.
Which methods for couples therapy do we use? Why are these methods so successful? Read below to find out how we help to strengthen their relationships:
Gottman Method- Couples counselling
John M. Gottman is a world-famous psychologist. He became well known by being able to predict with over 94% accuracy whether couples would divorce. He was also named one of the 10 most influential therapists of the past quarter century.
The Gottman Method of relationship starts by laying out a few fundamental goals, including:
-Increasing intimacy
-Disarming conflict through verbal communication
-Enhancing respect and affection
-Increase communication skills
-Removing barriers which create a feeling of stagnancy in conflicting situations
-Creating a heightened sense of empathy and understanding on all sides of the relationship
In order to do that, Gottman outlines a number of practical procedures, including building “love maps” which express each partner’s worries, stresses, joys, and hopes. Other steps include building a positive perspective to problem solving and creating shared meanings and stories across the relationship.
Our professionally-trained counsellors walk couples through each step in order to meet all the goals outlined above. The end result is a happier, healthier, and more fruitful relationship which is equipped with the tools needed to manage conflicts and enhance trust.
Imago Couples therapy
Imago is another popular form of therapy which involves delving deeper into the unconscious thoughts of each partner.
The marriage counselling sessions combines spiritual and behavioral techniques with western psychological methodologies. The ultimate goal is to arm couples with the tools they need to empathize with one another while also building common bonds between them.
One of the key concepts of Imago is developing the Road Map during the couples therapy session, also known as The Imago. This map is a blueprint of each partner’s journey through life. An important goal of Imago therapy is to make each partner understand – and facilitate – the other’s roadmap.
Emotionally-Focused Couples Therapy
Emotion Focused Therapy, or EFT, is a short-term method which typically involves between 8 and 20 sessions.
Emotionally-Focused Couples Therapy is similar to cognitive behavioral therapy in that it treats emotions as the guide to our behavior. By learning how to manage these emotions, we can better control our behavior and lead healthier relationships.
A relationship may have started off on the right foot but sometimes life transitions can get in the way . But over time, even a healthy relationship can devolve into a clash of negative emotions. When partners constantly experience negative interactions with the other, it makes the healing process extremely difficult.
Thanks to emotionally-focused therapy (often shortened as EFT-C), many couples have been able to recapture the love and understanding in their relationships.
But the main benefit of EFT-C is that it’s the most empirically-validated form of couples therapy. Experts suggest that 70% to 75% of couples are able to move from the “distress” phase to the “recovery” phase during EFT, and that 90% of relationships show “significant improvements”. When compared to other couples therapy methods, EFT also tends to have the lowest chances of relapse.
Not sure if you want to start Couples therpay
An Assessment might be a great place to start. Ask to work with one of our Gottman-based therapists for a 3-Session Assessment. (Gottman Method only)
Couples counselling sessions may be the best way to save your relationship in a safe space. However relationship therapy and taking the first step is rarely easy.
That’s why we encourage some couples who are unsure to start with a three session assessment. Over the course of three 90 minute sessions, our professionally-trained couples counsellor or therapist will communicate with both partners to determine the best way to approach counselling. Typical assessment sessions include the following:
First session: 90 minute discussion together.
Second session: Two 45 minute discussions with each partner separately.
Third session: 90 minute discussion together where the therapist will talk about the strengths and weaknesses in the relationship. Then, the therapist will advise the couple on the research behind relationships and illustrate what makes relationships work. From this point the couple knows more about their relationship, and the therapist’s approach, and can decide if they want to do the work of counselling together.
Ultimately, this gives the couple a science-based, informed approach to counselling instead of simply an opinion.
Calgary Marriage counselling
Some couples continue with therapy following this assessment, while other couples may walk away with the valuable lessons they need to live a healthy relationship, or may choose to part ways should they decide that there is too much in their way to move forward together. In any event an assessment can lead to a greater informed choice about whether to proceed in investing in the relationship. Family counselling may also need to be involed as time to time assistance in communication may be needed.
Is your partner hesitant to start the counselling process? During the assessment sessions, we can demonstrate the value that can come from marriage counselling. If you are interested in a three-session assessment, please mention it on our appointment request form. Additionally all Living Well therapists do offer a free 20 minute consultation to start if you’d like to meet your therapist before getting started.
Sensitive to LGBTQ and Faith-Sensitive Requests
At Living Well Counselling Services , we can happily accommodate couples from all walks of life. Couples can request an LGBTQ-affirming therapist or a couples counsellor sensitive to their faith perspective if needed.
