Couples

Intimate and committed relationships will often be one of the most influential relationships within our lives and will have the biggest impact on our well-being. When they are going well, they can make us feel healthier, happier and have more vitality. When there are problematic issues within the relationship we can feel drained, isolated, irritable and stressed.

69% of problems within relationships are often perpetual problems and not necessarily always ‘solvable’, because, quite naturally, there are fundamental differences between each person, that if you wish to remain healthy individuals, will not just disappear (Gottman, 2018). However, finding opportunities to learn ways to communicate the needs of each individual with regard to these issues, and / or develop strategies for working through conflict, can often lead to more intimate, more fulfilling, and more interesting relationships.

On average, most couples do not seek help until at least six years after they have initially detected a problem within the relationship and therefore attitudes and behaviours within the relationship may have become more deeply rooted in more complex and nuanced ways. For this reason I have studied and completed the Level 2 Training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy, and use the Gottman Method Couples Therapy in my work, as not only does this modality include a careful and thorough assessment process, but it is also built on a scientifically validated framework that has targeting interventions designed to address a wide variety of issues related to communication, conflict management, and building friendship and intimacy. 

Please use this link to learn more about the Gottman method, how it was developed through years of research, and what it can offer couples who want to heal, grow and deepen their connection. 

Structure of Gottman Method Couples Therapy

The Gottman Method values a thorough assessment process that allows for a couple and the therapist to have a clear sense of the strengths and areas for development within the relationship, in order to create a road map for therapy. The assessment process comprises of 3 sessions:

1) Session 1 is a introductory session where each person in the couple share their perspective about their strengths and concerns regarding their relationship.

2) Session 2 is split into two, as the therapist meets with each person individually for half of the session to gain their individual perspective. Also between the first and third session each person within the relationship will complete some assessment questionnaires online.

3) Session 3 is the final assessment session, when the therapist will feedback the findings of the assessments to the couple together, and formulate a plan for therapy.

Therapy sessions can be planned as a series, or carried out on a session by session basis. It is advised that couples plan to utilize at least 3-6 sessions after the assessment process, in order to have the support of a therapist to begin to learn, practice and review new skills over the span of a couple of month. After that, couples may want to continue on their own with the help of some online resources: https://gottmanconnect.com/couples or if they find they benefit from having the support of a therapist they can continue to book sessions as needed.

Gottman, J (2018, Jan 30). Making marriage work [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKTyPgwfPgg

If you would like to find out more about the cost or how to contact me to book a session please follow the link above.