couples counselling

couples counselling

Now offering confidential video counselling for couples.

Relationships matter. Commitments matter.

And so when the most important relationship in your life begins to fall apart, it can leave you feeling sad, hopeless and overwhelmed.

There are many reasons for relationships falling on tough times:

  • Financial stress

  • Physical, mental or emotional illness

  • Infidelity (emotional or physical, in- person or on-line)

  • Life transitions

  • Job loss

  • Blending of families

  • Changing of values

As a result, intimacy and trust can be replaced by distance and betrayal. Ongoing conflict deteriorates the friendship and respect that may have once been the foundation of your relationship. It can become difficult to even know one’s self in the midst of so much hurt and anger.

At Rivers Edge Counselling Centre, we have a team of therapists who work with couples to mend their relationships. Couples counselling sessions are available in a non-judgmental atmosphere that helps couples rediscover the most important relationship in their lives.

Couples Counselling Sessions Can Help You:

  • Communicate with each other more effectively

  • Learn how to resolve conflict and "fight fair"

  • Rebuild friendship, intimacy and trust in your relationship

  • Find a way to forgive after betrayal and hurt

  • Explore the values, hopes and dreams that shape your expectations of your relationship

  • Find clarity and hope for your future together

Signs Couple’s Counselling Might be for You:

  • You barely talk with your partner

  • When you talk, you and your partner bicker – often about the same thing

  • You feel there are some things you just can’t talk to your partner about

  • You are currently having, or are contemplating having, an affair

  • You withhold financial information from your partner – i.e. purchases, investments, bank accounts, etc…

  • You believe everything will be okay if your partner “just changes”

  • Your needs for intimacy and affection are not being met in the relationship

  • You want to make the relationship work

engaged?

We also offer Pre-Marital Counselling. Learn more >

resources for Couples Counselling

To start counselling now:

meet our couples’ counsellors

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Alissa Caskey
In my couples therapy practice, I emphasize the importance of 'turning toward' one another as a foundational element of Emotionally Focused Therapy. ...read more
...This approach empowers couples to seek and find strength in their partnership, deepening their connection and equipping them to navigate conflicts together. By fostering strong, secure bonds, I facilitate a process where partners learn to truly understand each other's emotional landscapes, thereby paving the way for lasting intimacy and a resilient trust that can weather life's challenges.Alissa's Full Bio

Amy Wolgemuth
I view relationships through an attachment lens. When communication or trust issues arise within a partnership that attachment bond is threatened... read more
...My role is to help you and your partner better attune to one another, identify and change maladaptive patterns, support your strengths and values, and help you increase comfort and safety within your relationship. We will work together to understand how your early attachment to your caregivers along with your life experiences have shaped you into who you are today. I use the Gottman Method and Emotionally-Focused therapy tools and techniques to help you repair conflict, and foster a healthy, secure attachment with each other.Amy's Full Bio

Christine Crocker
As a Registered Psychologist trained in Marriage and Family Therapy, I believe that relationships are central to the health and well-being of individuals, families and communities... read more
Christine Crocker is a Registered Psychologist who has been providing services to families, couples and individuals since 2007, both in private practice and for agencies. Christine has a Masters in Science in Marital and Family Therapy through Loma Linda University and a Bachelor of Science Specialization awarded from the University of Alberta. Christine holds membership in good standing with the College of Alberta Psychologists (Reg# 3311) and the Psychologist Association of Alberta. Christine Crocker Full Bio

Edna (Teddie) Knowlton Fussell
My approach to working with couples is grounded in research on the communication and interaction patterns that have helped long term couples be successful in their relationships... read more
I believe mutual respect, acknowledgment and negotiation are at the heart of any healthy partnership and I assist each member to examine the attitudes, feelings and behavior that might be getting in the way. Therefore, I help people shift from focussing on the shortcomings they perceive in their partner or themselves to negotiating the strengths, preferences, values and associated behavior they want to assert as individuals and as a team. In this manner I have helped couples work through the following issues:
• establishing a committment
• managing relationships with extended family
• new parenting
• discipline of pre-school, school-age and adolescent children
• work/home/recreation balance
• job loss/relocation
• different approaches to spending and managing finances
• hoarding or cluttered homes
• coping with physical or mental health concerns
• breaches of trust from deceit, infidelity, or abusive behavior ( a special interest of my practice)
• relationships with adult children
• becoming empty-nesters
• retirement
• caring for aging parents
• grief and loss
Teddie's Full Bio

Jean-Luc Roy
In my experiences when utilizing Gottman principles with couples of all ages and walks of life, I have noticed that many of us are not far off from making the right decisions for ourselves and our families. ...read more
Over time, problematic patterns have formed and will seem irreparable and almost permanent, which pushes us further from making some of those moment-to-moment ‘right decisions’. Together, we can untangle the threads that prevent you and your partner from reaching your potential as a couple and as individuals. Jean-Luc's Full Bio

Karen Kirkpatrick
Are you feeling disconnected, stuck, and distant from the most important person in your life? Do your disagreements and communication leave you feeling unheard, disregarded, and misunderstood? Are you exhausted from being caught in this familiar loop and long to feel close again?...read more
I create a safe space for couples to explore their thoughts, emotions, and needs. I can teach you new ways to communicate and help guide you in identifying the patterns that keep you trapped so you can feel like you’re on the same team. Successful couples fight, however, they do something that most of the population doesn’t know how to do. They know how to repair the rupture quickly and effectively. They have a tool chest of habits that enable them to take total responsibility for their actions, especially when they make mistakes. If and when their partner is having a hard time, they know the skills and tools needed to manage the situation and not escalate it. Therapy helps couples learn these tools and habits. It is through gaining and utilizing better tools that most couples improve. Making the decision to begin couples counseling doesn’t mean that you’ve failed. It means that you’re committed to helping your relationship grow to its full potential. Karen's Full Bio

Kira Charanduk
When working with couples I strive to work with the presenting concerns, based off of the client’s needs and hope from therapy... read more
By working with each client, taking into account their individuality, I work to develop a therapeutic process to allow the best care possible. Working from a Gottman approach, I aim at creating goals, enhancing communication skills, and developing understanding. Kira's Full Bio

Marti Lysek-Behiels
I am a Registered Psychologist with the College of Alberta Psychologists and a member of the Psychologists Association of Alberta. I have worked with children, adolescents, adults, families and couples in a variety of settings including non for profit and school settings... read more
Communication is key to any partnership and I support partners to learn solid communication skills in order to create an empathic understanding for the other person. When working with couples I use the Gottman method as well as Emotion Focused therapy techniques to encourage couples to repair and resolve past and current pain. Marti's Full Bio

Nicole Imgrund
Some experiences in life touch us so profoundly, that they cause a ripple effect through the whole of our life—affecting us emotionally, mentally, physically, relationally, and spiritually... read more
My experience, training and skill in key therapeutic approaches gives my work with clients both flexibility and depth. While my primary approach is psychodynamic (relational, insight-oriented), I draw on a number of other approaches to meet the diverse needs and goals of clients—including narrative, solution focused, cognitive-behavioural (CBT), mindfulness-based and family systems. The breadth of these approaches will make it possible for me to help you determine whether a more reflective or problem solving, short or longer term approach, will best meet your needs...Nicole’s Full Bio

Nikita Eglinski
Relationships can be difficult to navigate as there are more than one set of opinions and ways of looking at scenarios. One individual may see a 6, while the other may see a 9—both are right, but in different ways. ...read more
... My role as a therapist is to uncover the strengths within your relationship and help to navigate through the areas that are putting pressure on each of you. We each have strengths and quirks that contribute to the relationships within our lives; therefore, my goal is to help in fostering the ways in which our past experiences, expectations, and boundaries may have an effect on how we may respond within our relationships. I primarily focus on the importance of communication skills, attachment styles, and thought patterns.Nikita's Full Bio

Rebecca Bonham
Working from an Emotionally Focused Therapy approach, I aim to provide a neutral, compassionate, and hopeful presence to support you and your partner through changes and challenges in your relationship....read more
My goal is to help you build a safe and secure attachment so that you can turn to each other in times of vulnerability and pain, and receive understanding and comfort from your partner. While we do the deeper work of exploring emotions, unpacking old stories, and renegotiating unhelpful patterns, I’ll also provide you with practical supports along the way to help you build safety and connection from one session to the next. Rebecca's Full Bio

Renée Dangerfield-Allen
Living in a state of communication grid-lock can be extremely painful and often people talk about how much they miss feeling connected with their partner emotionally, physically, mentally, and/or spiritually. I am passionate about supporting couples to learn, improve, or restore their healthy communication skills so that they may better connect and experience the beauty of relationship. ...read more
I have worked successfully with couples using a combination of psycho-education tools, role-modelling, and talk therapy drawing upon aspects of John Gottman’s research, Emotion Focused Therapy by Sue Johnson, and Virginia Satir. Renée's Full Bio

Roger Thiessen
Many couples face challenges in communication and connection. ...read more
I enjoy helping couples rekindle their connections and sharpen their communication skills. Roger's Full Bio



Sabrina Roach
I provide support for couples experiencing difficulties in communication and connection. ...read more
...I meet you where you are in your relationship and work with you toward a collaborative goal. I offer an accepting and non-judgmental space for you to be open and vulnerable; this will help support you through your challenges and give you the courage to continue working on yourselves and your connection. I am inclusive and support all types of relationships including co-parenting, sexual minorities, ethical non-monogamy and polyamory. Sabrina's Full Bio

the right fit

At River’s Edge Counselling Centre, we work with each new client to ensure they are matched to the right therapist. See how we do it: