Marriage counselling in Calgary.
For long-term partnerships — communication patterns that have hardened, trust that’s been broken, the slow drift, the same fight on repeat, or the decision-stage work that comes before everything else. Different from new-couples work; we treat it that way.
The shape of long-term marriage work.
Communication patterns — the loops that started small and have hardened over years. Criticism, defensiveness, contempt, and stonewalling — the “Four Horsemen” Gottman later named, building on longitudinal work that identified defensiveness and withdrawal among the patterns predicting marital dissolution (Gottman & Levenson, 1992) — often need outside eyes to name.
Affair recovery — rebuilding trust after disclosure, or doing the harder work of deciding whether the relationship continues at all. Both directions are valid goals.
Disconnection & slow drift — the years where nothing is wrong, exactly, but the closeness has thinned. Often the hardest to articulate; sometimes the most important to work on.
Decision-stage work — couples considering separation who want clarity before they act. Therapy that doesn’t push you toward staying or leaving — just toward seeing the situation honestly.
Sex & intimacy — mismatched desire, post-baby changes, post-illness changes, the slow erosion that happens when stress crowds out everything else.
Parenting & blended-family conflict — where parenting disagreements are doing the work of unspoken relational ones.
Faith & values differences — partners on different religious or value journeys, with kids in the middle.
Evidence-based methods, matched to you.
The Gottman Method — a well-researched approach to long-term couples work, drawn from longitudinal observational research. Seven of our therapists are Gottman-trained. Structured assessment, clear interventions, and a body of research specifically about what predicts whether long-term relationships work or fail. See our Gottman page for the references.
Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) — Sue Johnson’s attachment-based model, listed by the American Psychological Association’s Division 12 among its empirically supported treatments for couples. Particularly suited to disconnection, betrayal recovery, and patterns where surface conflict masks deeper attachment fears. See our EFT page.
Longer sessions — couples work needs the extra time. With two people in the room, it takes time to get past the rehearsed surface, let both partners be heard, and still leave room to do the real work before the session ends.
Individual work paired with couples work — when one partner is also working through their own piece (trauma, family-of-origin, depression, addiction), we’ll often suggest a separate individual therapist alongside the couples work. We’ll discuss this at the consult.
Faith-integrated work available — if your faith tradition is part of how you understand your marriage, we can work with that. See faith-based counselling.
Therapists on the team who do marriage work.
Browse and click into a bio. The free consult is a call to talk through fit, fees, and insurance.
“I understand that, at times, life can be challenging and difficult to manage. In those moments, it can be helpful to seek support — and discover healthy, adaptive ways of coping.”
“I see strength as an innate characteristic in all people.”
“It's important to feel seen and heard as you navigate the ebbs and flows of life.”
“Sometimes we need someone to talk to and listen to us without judgement.”
“Underscoring every strong therapeutic bond between client and therapist is trust, mutual respect, and understanding.”
“Your trust in me is a privilege, and I am here to support and guide you every step of the way.”
“I aim to create a caring space for you to feel seen, heard, and respected as we navigate your journey together.”
“I believe in the importance of authenticity, curiosity, and hope in our therapeutic relationship.”
“Taking the step to start therapy is an act of courage and self-care — and I'm here to support you.”
“The therapeutic alliance is the core of therapy — it takes courage to bring up the most vulnerable aspects of life.”
Marriage counselling, asked and answered.
How is this different from couples counselling?
Mostly a difference of framing. Couples work covers everything from early-relationship friction to long-term repair; marriage work specifically targets the patterns that come with years together — entrenched dynamics, accumulated hurts, decisions about whether to stay. The methods overlap heavily; the approach is calibrated to where you actually are.
We’re considering separation. Is it too late for therapy?
No. Decision-stage work is a legitimate goal. The job isn’t to talk you into staying — it’s to help you see the relationship clearly enough to choose either direction without later regret. Some couples reconnect; others separate well; both are valid outcomes.
What does affair recovery actually look like in therapy?
Three phases, broadly: stabilization (the immediate aftermath), exploration (what made the affair possible — in the relationship, in each partner’s history), and decision (rebuild, redefine, or end). The Gottman approach has well-developed protocols for this work. It is slow, deliberate, and often painful.
Will you take sides?
No. The therapist’s job is to the relationship, not to either of you individually. That said, we will name patterns when we see them — including ones that aren’t balanced. Honesty isn’t taking sides.
Can we do this online?
Yes. Many couples do, particularly when scheduling around childcare or shift work is part of the strain. In-person and online work about equally well for most couples; we’ll flag it if your situation suggests one over the other.
Are sessions covered by insurance?
Most extended health plans cover Registered Psychologists and Registered Provisional Psychologists. Direct billing is available with Blue Cross.
Twenty minutes. On the phone. Free.
Tell us what’s going on and ask anything — insurance, format, fees, what a first session looks like. You’ll be on the call with one of our therapists, and we’ll go from there together. If we’re not the right practice for you, we’ll say so.