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Couples Counselling Kelowna

Couples Counselling: How to Overcome Relationship Challenges Together

Falling in love is easy for many people; however, staying in love is where the challenge is. Many couples go into a relationship without adequate preparation for how to take care of the relationship challenges that come with it. As a result, the relationship breaks with time. Couples counselling with a professional therapist in Kelowna is a great way for you to work through any challenges that you may be facing in your relationship. 

Talking about these challenges with an experienced therapist can help you find a solution to the cause of the problem.

Our Kelowna Therapists

Tiffany Petite, Calgary Therapist, Virtuous Circle Counselling, Calgary, AB
Tiffany Petite
MSW, RCSW
Therapist / Clinic Director / Co-Founder
Angeline Murwisi Therapist Calgary
Angeline Murwisis
MSW, RCSW
Registered Social Worker/ Therapist

Understanding Relationship Challenges

Every relationship has its challenges. However, the difference between relationships that scale through these challenges and those that fail is understanding. Before you go into any relationship, it’s essential to understand the challenges that come with it. 

Below are some of the relationship challenges you may encounter in your relationship:

Communication Issues

Effective communication is an essential ingredient in every relationship. When you or your partner lack effective communication, then you may begin to face problems in your relationship. 

Communication is not just about speaking to your partner; it’s also about listening to them with undivided attention. This will help your partner understand your values and feelings. 

Trust Issues

Trust is one of the most common relationship challenges couples face. If you’ve been in a relationship for a while and are still having trust issues, it may be time to talk with a therapist. Factors like betrayal, infidelity, childhood trauma, and parental divorce can lead to a lack of trust in a relationship. Although trust issues may seem easy to fix, they can be more complicated than you think if not properly handled.

Intimacy Issues

Intimacy is a glue that binds people together in a relationship, and it can be both sexual and physical. Therefore, if you and your partner are having intimacy issues, then it’s essential to seek immediate help. Lack of intimacy in relationships can be due to pent-up anger, lack of communication, depression, anxiety, busy schedules, children, and many other factors. Understanding the factors that cause intimacy Issues will help you avoid them in your relationship.

Kelowna Couples Counselling

How Couples Counselling Helps Overcome Relationship Issues

One of the most effective ways to overcome the above challenges is couple’s counselling. This is also called therapy. It provides an opportunity for couples to speak their mind and find a balance in their relationship. A professional therapist will listen to you and your partner and give you solutions unique to your situation. A professional therapist will also help you with the following:

Identifying Goals

Many people are confused about their relationship because they don’t know what they want. A professional therapist will help you identify the important things to you in the relationship based on what you tell them. Hence, it’s essential not to hide anything from your therapist. Your goals may be:

  • To discover more about yourself and your partner.
  • To build trust between you and your partner.
  • To resolve conflict or differences between each other.
  • To understand how factors like your job, time, or children have changed your relationship.
 

Improving Communication

Couples counselling can help improve communication skills by helping you understand what your partner truly wants from the relationship. This will help you communicate more effectively with each other and ensure that your needs are met.

During the therapy sessions, couples will learn more about the importance of communication and how to communicate effectively. Through discussion and exploration, couples will learn how they can communicate effectively and find new ways of being more open and honest with each other.

Building Trust and Intimacy

One of the most important things couples therapy does is build trust. Trusting your partner is one of the first things that must be established for a relationship to survive long-term. 

A professional therapist will help both partners learn how to reframe their thinking about each other so that they can see each other from a different perspective. The therapist will help both partners resolve past hurts so that they can establish a new foundation for their relationship.

What To Expect During Couples Counselling

Before you go for couples counselling, it’s essential to know what to expect. This way, you would be adequately prepared for the therapy sessions. You must be ready to discuss your past and relationship challenges. This will help the therapist to provide specialized solutions. While your therapist will speak to you and your partner together, they may also want to have private sessions with each of you.

First Session

During the first session of your counselling, the therapist will walk you through the process of couples counselling. This includes cancellation policies, client confidentiality, and the methods they will use for your relationship issues.

Once you agree to the terms, your therapist will ask you questions about your relationship, including the challenges you’re currently facing. Your therapist will try to learn more about you and your partner.

Types of Counselling 

There are different types of counselling styles, and your therapist will choose the one that works best for you and your partner. Below are the types of counselling you may go through:

  • Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT): EFT is a short-term therapy that helps to strengthen the bond between couples. It uses love as an attachment bond.
  • Imago Therapy: This style focuses on turning relationship conflicts into an avenue for growth and healing.
  • Gottman method: Gottman method helps to improve intimacy, affection, and respect between couples.
 

Learn About Factors That Contribute to Successful Outcomes

While your therapist will try their best to ensure the sessions are successful, you also have a role to play. Certain factors influence the outcome of your therapy session, and they include the following:

  • Listen to Your Partner: Instead of being defensive, try to listen and understand what your partner is saying.
  • Be honest: It’s vital to be honest with your therapist. They can only help you based on the information you provided to them.
  • Put in the time: A successful therapy session requires your time. Do your assignments, and don’t miss any sessions.
 

Importance of Seeking Help

It’s important to remember that in any relationship, you are dealing with your partner’s feelings. Although you may think you know your partner better than any other person, people change due to different reasons, and you have lost them without knowing. 

To overcome this, you must seek help from a professional. A therapist will help you identify and work through your issues with your partner. This can help both of you move past some of the issues in your relationship and allow both of you to become happier individuals. It will also help you understand your partner better and become closer. 

If you are still yet to find a qualified therapist near you, you don’t need to worry anymore just visit https://vccounselling.com/kelowna-therapist/

FAQS

Couples Therapy is $220/hr 

Every plan provider is different. You must contact your plan provider before the first therapy session to see how much coverage you have.

Couples therapy’s success rate is somewhere around 75%. However, it really depends on the amount of work you want to put into the relationship to achieve a positive outcome.

Call Us at (778) 654-5396 

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!

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.

We at Virtuous Circle Counselling acknowledge Moh’kinstsis, the lands where the Bow and Elbow rivers meet, in what we currently call Calgary. We acknowledge that we are visitors on Moh’kinsstis and acknowledge the Blackfoot are those who named this area as Moh’kinsstis. In the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation, we recognize the ancestral territories, cultures, and oral practices of the Blackfoot people, the Îyarhe Nakoda Nations, the Dene people of the Tsuut’ina Nation, and the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3.