Couples Counselling Calgary
Couples Counselling Calgary - Enhance Your Relationship With Calgary Couples Counselling
Virtuous Circle’s couples counselling in Calgary believes there is no one dynamic or definition of a ‘couple’. What is important is that clients feel safe and are able to feel validated and recognized by their relationship status, even if it may be outside of what is considered as the mainstream norms. With Virtuous Circle Counselling, we recognize romantic partnerships to include all types of relationships, including monogamous, polyamorous, long-distance, casual sex, ‘friends with benefits’, asexual to LGBTQ+ relationships.
Our team strives to provide an accepting and welcoming environment. We believe that all relationships should be safe, consensual and supported as long as they are healthy and fulfilling for the individuals involved. We want our clients to feel completely comfortable and at ease with their relationship experiences, no matter what those relationships may consist of.
In a couple’s therapy session, it is vital that both members of the couple have an opportunity to be heard and to have their perspective considered in a non-judgmental manner. This can be done by creating a safe space for both parties to voice their needs and desires, while also listening with compassion and being accepting of what their partner has to say without personal judgement.
If you are struggling with your relationship, want to enhance it, forgive your partner, or learn to break free from control, find out how couples counselling in Calgary can help.
What Are The Signs You Need Couples Therapy?
Every couple goes through challenging times in their relationship, and to be perfectly honest — it’s inevitable. We all handle conflict and disagreements differently so it can be important to know when you need extra help in resolving an issue.
Below you will find some common signs that are indicative of a couple in need of therapy:
- Needing to rebuild trust;
- To enhance physical or emotional intimacy;
- To overcome trauma;
- Financial issues;
- Career or job pressure;
- Anger issues resulting in restricted conflict resolution.
What Are The Benefits Of Couples Therapy?
Restore Intimacy and Connection in Your Relationship
While you and your partner or spouse may have gone to Calgary couples counselling in the past and continue to experience unresolved issues, therapy requires ongoing commitment, maintenance and consistency. Our goal is to ensure that both individuals feel supported, valued and safe in this process. Couples therapy goes beyond proving one person is right and one person is wrong. The ultimate goal is to bring closure to an issue and bring you closer to your partner. As a result, you will experience improved trust, security and unity all while enhancing the intimacy you once shared.
Couples therapy is a collaborative process where both individuals put in equal effort to resolve their conflicts and work towards keeping their relationship strong. However, while going to couples therapy is a commitment on your part, therapists don’t make a commitment to the relationship. Instead, therapists assist you in solving problems and issues present, while also teaching you how to strengthen your bond and remove future issues from occurring. It is the continued effort from both partners that will hold up your relationship.
Virtuous Circle Counselling Offers Online Therapy Sessions
Couples online counselling or in-person couples therapy can be a creative way to address a common hurdle. When couples require counselling, it is often because there has been a breakdown in trust and communication. At times like these, it is important to have a third party involved that can promote progress through evidence-based therapeutic techniques. Here at Virtuous Circle Counselling, we offer in-person and virtual sessions to couples in need so that they can find their way to a healthier future.
Online couples counselling is a great way to solve relationship issues without the hassle of travelling to and from sessions. When you choose Virtuous Circle Counselling, you get to choose your location. Online counselling is becoming more and more common and socially acceptable. Both in-person and online sessions offer the same therapeutic approach: we will train you in effective communication so that you can manage your emotions and foster a stronger connection.
What Is Couples Therapy? - Techniques For Your Relationship To Thrive
Centered around intimacy and connection, counselling for couples is often the final step before a fractured relationship heals or disbands. In either outcome, couples therapy in Calgary can ensure that you are given a safe and inclusive space to explore your relationship in a healthy way.
Couples therapy is designed for all relationship types including; long-term, engaged, married, and family (including co-parenting relationships). When couples are experiencing an issue that needs outside support, couples therapy can be the solution to helping relationships prosper once again. This is done by allowing couples the opportunity to heal communication patterns and re-initiate trust with each other.
The appropriate therapy techniques within couples therapy in Calgary depend on the presenting problem. There is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to how to improve your relationship with your partner. Instead, you and your therapist work together to help you and your significant other understand the important moments and habits of change within your relationship.
Effective Couples Therapy Techniques
Relationships can be difficult. We don’t always know the exact recipes for making them work. We can, however, tap into effective techniques that will help us strengthen even the most demanding relationships.
1. Reflective Listening
Reflective listening is a technique that was developed by Dr. Carl Rogers, the famous psychotherapist who developed client-centered therapy. It is also known as active listening because it requires one to be reactive to another’s concerns, thoughts, feelings, and opinions. In couples therapy the couple will take turns being active listeners, and will use “I” phrases instead of “you” statements.
2. Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a type of bonding therapy that focuses on helping couples reconnect and can successfully help partners create safe attachments within their relationships. It is also known as the Emotionally Focused Approach (EFA). It was first created by Sue Johnson, a clinical psychologist who has been working with couples since 1982.
3. Gottman Method
The Gottman Method is another common and effective method used in couples counselling with about 40 years of research behind it. Based on the work of Dr. John Gottman, couples counsellors and therapists use the Gottman Method to help couples decrease conflict, optimize their time spent together, and cultivate meaningful bonds
FAQS
Although cognitive behavioral therapy, couples psychotherapy and relationship counselling have been effective in helping couples deal with their individual issues, research suggests that the “Gottman Method” for couples is a superior alternative. In fact, The Gottman Institute boasts more than 40 years of research supporting its approach to couple’s therapy.
Couples therapy’s success rate is around 75%. However, there are many different factors which need to be considered. The measurement of success for example, “success” of couples counselling may mean a continued relationship, or it may mean resolving ongoing issues (ie. it will be dependent upon the relationship).
Couples therapy, or couples counselling, is a type of psychotherapy in which a licensed therapist with clinical experience working with couples helps people involved in a romantic relationship to gain insight into their dynamic. The goal is to help couples function better both as couples and individuals.
The short answer is yes, they should. The goal of therapy is for partners to clearly identify their values and what they want from their relationship. Many people think that every therapist treats their patients in the same way, but that’s not the reality. There is no unique formula to make relationships stronger. What should be validated is the emotions of the couple, which will guide them to make changes in their lives together. Not only should they see the same therapist, but should both pursue the same therapeutic method throughout the entire process.
If your therapist helps you learn or relearn the skills of active listening, talking about your experience rather than your partner’s actions, non-defensive listening, using “I” statements rather than “you” statements, soothing rather than attacking each other and so on, then most likely it is.
Call Us at (587) 856-8369 -OR- Contact Us
Contact Virtuous Circle Counselling today to see if we are the right couples therapy provider for you. Book an intake session today and work on your relationship tomorrow! In addition to our Calgary locations we are now also offering Couples Counselling in Kelowna.
Book Your Appointment Online
We are currently accepting new clients however being a good fit is everything in a therapeutic alliance. When you’re ready, please contact us for a free 30-minute phone consultation to see if we match your needs and goals.
