Couples counselling Calgary
therapy for couples
Couples counselling
Takeaway: All relationships hit bumps in the road. However, sometimes these bumps feel more like mountains that are impossible to climb. With the help of a Calgary couples therapist, you and your partner can navigate whatever life throws at you and come out stronger.
If you find yourself navigating the complexities of a stressed relationship or facing concerns about the potential of separation or divorce, know that you're not alone.
Committing to a partner is an acknowledgment that challenges may arise, but the serious issues you're currently experiencing might be leaving you feeling unsure about how to address and resolve them.
Relationships encounter a spectrum of challenges, from everyday irritations to navigating shared life spaces, parenthood, and, at times, facing serious threats to the marriage's future. When you find it difficult to address common issues, understand your partner, or grapple with trust and communication matters, seeking relationship therapy becomes a valuable avenue.
At Shelly Qualtieri & Associates, our Calgary couples counselling offers a non-judgmental, secure, and open space, backed by a diverse range of psychological approaches. Our experienced counsellors can guide you through issues such as communication struggles, trust concerns, infidelity, family dynamics, co-parenting, financial challenges, and navigating divorce or separation.
Take the first step towards a stronger, healthier partnership; contact us today, as we welcome new clients.
Does this sound like you?
Experience the emotional turmoil of feeling more like roommates than passionate partners, leaving you questioning the significance of your relationship.
Couples often seek counselling when faced with common challenges that strain their relationship. Communication breakdowns, a prevalent issue, can lead to misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and frustration. Disagreements over finances are another common reason, as differing views on spending, budgeting, and financial goals can create tension. Trust issues, whether stemming from past betrayals or insecurities, can contribute to relationship struggles.
Parenting disagreements also prompt couples to seek counselling, especially when navigating conflicting parenting styles, discipline approaches, or decisions about the children's upbringing. Intimacy and sexual concerns, such as differences in desire or dissatisfaction, are additional areas where couples may seek professional guidance. Counselling provides a safe space for couples to address these challenges, fostering open communication, understanding, and strategies for resolution. If you and your partner are experiencing any of these issues, reaching out to a couples therapist can be a positive step toward rebuilding and strengthening your relationship.
Relationships require work, and finding a way to resolve challenges can be difficult without the help of marriage counselling. Connect today.
Calgary couples therapy can help.
If you're dealing with the aftermath of betrayal or an affair, our therapy offers a supportive space to rebuild trust and work towards healing.
Navigating the complexities of a relationship can be challenging, especially when faced with the aftermath of betrayal. Whether you or your partner experienced an emotional or physical affair, trust may seem shattered, leaving you uncertain about the possibility of healing. In the journey of love, ups and downs are inevitable, and while communication and trust issues may strain some couples and infidelity may disrupt the connection, it's important to recognize that these challenges don't have to signify the end. Calgary couples therapy offers a supportive space to address and overcome these issues, fostering healing, rebuilding trust, and revitalizing the connection in your relationship.
Communication Challenges: Couples often seek therapy to address difficulties in effective communication, whether it's frequent misunderstandings, a lack of active listening, or struggles in expressing needs and feelings.
Trust: is fundamental in any relationship, and couples may turn to therapy to rebuild and strengthen this crucial foundation when trust is compromised due to betrayal, dishonesty, or past experiences.
Infidelity: Emotional or physical affairs can significantly impact a relationship. Couples therapy provides a structured environment to navigate the aftermath, work through emotions, and decide on the path forward.
Intimacy and Connection: Couples may face challenges in maintaining intimacy and a deep emotional connection. Therapy can help explore the underlying issues, enhance emotional closeness, and rekindle the romantic aspect of the relationship.
Life Transitions and Stress: Major life changes, such as parenthood, career shifts, or financial stress, can strain a relationship. Couples therapy assists in navigating these transitions, fostering resilience, and adapting to new circumstances together.
Connect for a free 30-minute call with a marriage counselling therapist.
Our approach to marriage counselling in Calgary
Our team of counsellors and psychologists is passionate about helping couples find healing and build strong and lasting relationships.
At Shelly Qualtieri & Associates, our dedicated team of counsellors and psychologists is committed to guiding couples through healing processes and fostering resilient, lasting relationships. Whether you attend sessions individually or with your spouse, our experienced counsellors can help you uncover the underlying issues and improve communication, allowing you to regain a positive sense of self and strengthen your relationship. We employ evidence-based therapies like CBT, DBT, solution-focused therapy, narrative therapy, and trauma-informed therapy, tailoring each approach to address specific challenges and promote positive change in your partnership.
Our Modalities for couples therapy in Calgary
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT): DBT equips couples with valuable skills in emotional regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance. This therapy is particularly beneficial for couples dealing with intense emotions, promoting better communication and mutual understanding.
Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT): CBT is effective in couples therapy as it addresses negative thought patterns and behaviours, helping partners recognize and change destructive cycles. By fostering healthier cognitive and emotional responses, couples can build more positive interactions and coping mechanisms.
Solution-Focused Therapy: This approach emphasizes identifying and building solutions to current challenges, focusing on the present and future. In couples therapy, it helps couples shift their focus from problems to actionable solutions, fostering a more optimistic and goal-oriented mindset.
Narrative Therapy: Narrative therapy helps couples reshape their relationship narratives by exploring and reframing their shared stories. By understanding each other's perspectives and co-creating new narratives, couples can strengthen their connection and cultivate a sense of shared identity.
Trauma-Informed Therapy: For couples dealing with past traumas, trauma-informed therapy provides a safe and empathetic environment. This approach recognizes the impact of trauma on relationships and guides couples toward healing, resilience, and improved connection.
Gottman Method Couples Therapy: The Gottman Method is renowned for its research-based approach, emphasizing the assessment of a couple's friendship, intimacy, and shared meaning. Through practical interventions, couples learn to strengthen their bond, improve communication, and navigate conflicts effectively. This evidence-based method helps couples build lasting connections and resilience in their relationships.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a research-proven method that helps individuals, couples, and families heal and connect. It places the focus on emotion, which, while you might assume is not unique in therapy, is actually what makes EFT quite unique. According to EFT, emotions strongly link to identity and thus guide our decision-making, preferences, and communication styles. Sue Johnson, a clinical psychologist, developed EFT in 1982.
The challenges each couple faces and their journey towards resolution and the ultimate goal of a healthy, sustainable, and fulfilling life are unique. Our experienced counsellors and psychologists at Shelly Qualtieri & Associates are here to help.
Who are our couples therapy services for?
Our couples counselling support in Calgary welcomes couples of all ages, backgrounds, and sexual orientations, offering assistance to enhance and fortify their bond.
Whether you're grappling with communication breakdowns, struggling to resolve conflicts, or feeling the weight of negative patterns, our couples therapy services provide a dedicated space to address these challenges and nurture a more harmonious connection. We extend our support to couples at various stages of their relationships, be it in the early months of dating or after many years of shared experiences. Our therapists are committed to understanding and navigating the unique dynamics of each relationship, fostering trust, and developing tailored strategies for growth and fulfillment.
At Shelly Qualtieri & Associates, our inclusive approach ensures support for all couples, including same-sex couples, providing a safe and affirming environment to explore and enhance their relationships. If you're facing challenges in your relationship, whether it's with a partner of the opposite or of the same sex, we invite you to take the first step toward a more fulfilling partnership.
To develop a personalized plan for a fulfilling relationship, read here.
FAQs about working with a Calgary couples counsellor
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In couples therapy, our therapist offers a secure space for partners to engage in meaningful conversations and rediscover their connection. The therapist guides couples in solution-focused therapy, helping them shift their focus from blame to understanding the relational dynamics and facilitating new steps forward. Acting as a consultant, the therapist assists in making sense of relationship challenges and navigating the intense emotions experienced by distressed partners.
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Typically, the first session includes both partners. Following the initial session, we arrange one individual session for each client. All further sessions include both partners.
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The therapy modalities utilized are brief therapy, and typically clients can expect to see positive changes in their relationship problems or individual problems in 10–20 sessions. The number of sessions depends on the client, the severity of the problem, and the duration of relationship distress.
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If your partner is unwilling to attend couples therapy, it's important to address the situation with empathy and open communication. You can express your desire for both of you to work together on improving the relationship and highlight the potential benefits of couples therapy. However, therapy is most effective when both partners are willing participants. If your partner remains resistant, you may consider attending individual therapy to explore your own concerns and gain insights into the relationship dynamics. Ultimately, open communication and understanding each other's perspectives are crucial in navigating such situations.
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The basic task of the therapist is to provide and create a safe environment for the client to explore relationship issues, whether with themselves or with others.
Safety Concerns: If there is a risk of physical harm or abuse in the relationship, prioritizing safety is crucial. In such cases, couple counselling may not be appropriate until safety concerns are addressed.
Lack of Commitment: If one or both partners are not committed to the process and there's a clear unwillingness to engage in therapy, it may not be effective.
One-Sided Effort: If only one partner is actively working on the relationship, it can create an imbalance, and the therapy may not yield the desired outcomes.
Unresolved Addictions: If one or both partners are struggling with active substance abuse issues and are not actively seeking help for addiction, addressing these issues may need to take precedence.
Untreated Mental Health Issues: If one or both partners have untreated severe mental health issues that require individual therapy or specialized treatment, couples counselling alone may not be sufficient.
It's essential to consult with a mental health professional to determine whether couples counselling is suitable based on the specific circumstances of the relationship.
Uncover the signs that suggest couples counselling can revive your relationship and rekindle a strong, loving connection.
You might consider marriage or couple counselling if you're experiencing:
Communication Issues: persistent difficulties in effectively communicating and understanding each other.
Repeated Conflicts: Frequent arguments or recurring conflicts that seem unresolved.
Emotional Distance: Feeling emotionally disconnected or distant from your partner.
Trust Issues: Infidelity or other breaches compromise trust.
Major Life Transitions: Managing significant life changes, such as parenting, career shifts, or relocation.
Intimacy Concerns: Struggles with physical or emotional intimacy within the relationship.
Pre-Marital Preparation: Seeking guidance and support before getting married.
Stale Relationship: Feeling stuck in negative patterns or a lack of growth in the relationship.
If you're uncertain, a consultation with a couples therapist can help assess your specific situation and determine whether couples counselling is a beneficial step for your relationship.
What are the benefits of couples therapy?
Couples or marriage therapy can offer several benefits, including improved communication, strengthened emotional connection, enhanced problem-solving skills, and the opportunity for personal growth within the relationship. Additionally, therapy can help couples navigate challenges, reduce conflicts, and build a more fulfilling and resilient partnership.
Improved Communication: Couples counselling enhances communication skills by teaching partners to express themselves effectively, listen actively, and understand each other, fostering a healthier relationship.
Enhanced Problem-Solving: Therapy provides couples with tools to navigate challenges, teaching effective problem-solving strategies and encouraging collaboration to overcome obstacles together.
Rebuilding Trust: For couples dealing with issues like infidelity, counselling offers a structured environment to address trust concerns, facilitating open conversations and steps towards rebuilding trust.
Increased Intimacy: Couples counselling focuses on emotional and physical intimacy, helping partners reconnect, rediscover shared interests, and strengthen the bond that initially brought them together.
Stress Management: Counselling supports couples facing life stresses, such as work pressures or family transitions, by providing coping mechanisms and fostering resilience to navigate challenges as a united team.
Strengthen your relationship with the help of a couples therapist in Calgary couples counselling
Recognizing that every relationship requires effort and guidance is a testament to your commitment to emotional well-being.
Enhance your relationship with the support of our couples therapists at Shelly Qualtieri & Associates in Calgary. A significant number of couples, almost half, seek counselling as a proactive step to strengthen their bonds. Couples therapy is not a signal of failure but an indication of shared dedication to nurturing a more resilient and fulfilling connection. Whether grappling with trust issues, communication breakdowns, or conflicts, our Calgary couples counselling services offer a supportive space for growth and understanding.
Nearly half of all couples have attended some form of counselling. It’s more common than you may think, and relationship counselling benefits can go a long way in preventing the full breakdown of a marriage. Emotionally focused couples therapy signifies that both partners are committed to building a stronger and more satisfying bond, rather than indicating trouble.
Our complimentary consultation may help you find the therapist who will be the best fit for your journey to a loving and compassionate relationship. We are accepting new clients.
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