Couples Counselling

At YEG Psychology, our registered psychologists specialize in couples and marriage counselling, with advanced training in evidence-based approaches such as the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). These research-backed methods help couples strengthen emotional connection, improve communication, and rebuild trust and intimacy.

Even the healthiest relationships can experience strain at times. Life stress, communication difficulties, or a loss of closeness can leave couples feeling disconnected or stuck in unhelpful patterns. Couples counselling provides a safe, supportive space to understand one another more deeply, address conflict constructively, and restore both emotional and physical intimacy.

Through counselling, partners can learn to express needs more clearly, repair past hurts, and create lasting change in how they relate to one another. Research shows that approximately 70–75% of couples who participate in therapy report significant improvement in relationship satisfaction and communication. Working together with a psychologist can help you move forward with greater understanding, connection, and resilience as a couple.

You don’t develop courage by being happy in your relationships every day.You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity.

~ Epicurus

Is Counselling Right for You?

Are you wondering if couples counselling is right for your relationship? Couples come to counselling for a broad range of issues; if you find yourself struggling in any of the below-listed areas, then it may be worth considering speaking with a psychologist.

You are unable to communicate without one or both partners becoming defensive
You do not feel as though you are able to confide in your partner
One or both partners have had or are considering an affair
You find yourself arguing about the same issues and there is no apparent resolution
One or both partners are struggling with intimacy
You believe that one partner has to change in order for the relationship to work
You are going through or want to prepare for a major life transition
Differences in values
Grief and loss

How Can Counselling Help

In couples counselling, your psychologist will work with you to develop new patterns of relating to your partner behaviourally, emotionally, and cognitively. This can be achieved through the following:

Identifying unhelpful communication patterns
Learning more effective ways of communicating
Building trust between partners
Improving sense of connection on both physical and emotional levels
Enhancing intimacy
Creating positive experiences between partners
Learning how to support one another
Navigating through perpetual problems
Learning how to fight fair
Determining mutual goals
Finding direction forward
Developing emotional safety and security

What Can We Expect from Couples Counselling?

At YEG Psychology, couples counselling is designed to help you and your partner strengthen your relationship, improve communication, and work toward shared goals. Sessions can take place either virtually or in-person, depending on your preference and comfort.

In your first session, you’ll meet together with your psychologist to discuss your relationship history, current challenges, and hopes for counselling. This initial conversation helps your psychologist understand your story and begin identifying key areas for growth and connection.

The second session is typically divided between partners, giving each of you time to share your individual perspectives and experiences. While one partner meets with the psychologist, the other completes a few questionnaires that offer insight into relationship patterns, attitudes, and emotional well-being.

In your third session, you’ll come back together as a couple to review themes and insights from the first two meetings. Together, you’ll collaborate with your psychologist to set meaningful goals and develop a plan for moving forward.

Ongoing sessions focus on deepening understanding, improving communication, rebuilding trust, and strengthening emotional and physical intimacy. As you progress, your psychologist will help you refine your goals and continue building a relationship that feels supportive, connected, and resilient.

How Does Confidentiality Work in Couples Therapy?

Your psychologist will explain confidentiality in detail at the start of your first session. An important thing to know at the outset is that your psychologist will not keep secrets between partners; what is disclosed to the psychologist individually is able to be discussed as a couple.

Can One Partner Meet with the Psychologist for Individual Counselling?

Your psychologist is committed to working with you as a couple and is not able to meet with any partner for individual counselling that is outside the scope of couples counselling. If either partner could benefit from individual counselling, the psychologist will discuss this with the couple and refer the individual partner to a trusted colleague.

What is the Length of a Couples Session?

Couples sessions are typically 80 minutes in length. For the second session, the psychologist will meet with individual partners for 40 minutes each. If you feel that you require more or less time per session, this can be discussed with your psychologist.

What is the Cost of a Couples Session?

The cost of an 80-minute session is $352.50 for Master's-level psychologists and $375 for Doctoral-level psychologists. Couples will be billed in 15-minute increments in excess of 80-minutes.