Couples Counselling – Keys to Success
One of the most common requests from incoming clients at Waypoint Counselling Network is for couples counselling. Key areas of concern include communication, intimacy, trust, finances, and parenting. The good news is that couples counselling provided by trained therapists can be roughly 75% effective, according to the American Psychological Association.
Here are three tangible steps you can take to improve the health of your relationships:
1. Decide if you are willing to put in the work
- Couples counselling is effective, but it’s not for everyone. A 25% failure rate for couples counselling is typically seen in couples who are in abusive relationships, (physical or emotional). If you think you might be in an abusive relationship, it might be more beneficial to first seek individual counselling to work on how to develop control or maintain safety, depending on your role in the relationship
2. Reflect on how you are feeling and try to put those feelings into words
- If you’re ready to put in the work, first take some time to reflect on what’s coming up for you. Some questions you might ask yourself are:
- What would it look like if we were both on the same team?
- How am I showing up in my relationship with my partner?
- How do I think my partner feels about me?
- What are some examples of actions that I would like my partner to continue doing in our relationship?
- It may be helpful to write these thoughts down to come back to at a later time.
3. Seek clarity by expressing curiosity and asking your partner open ended questions
- Trying to understand and connect to how the other person is feeling is a superpower in any relationship. It allows the opportunity to seek understanding while still keeping your own opinion or thoughts about a situation in view whether you agree or not. In a healthy relationship, both perspectives are valid, there is no right or wrong. Is there something you can learn about your partner by stopping to seek clarity and express curiosity?
If you continue to find it difficult to navigate your relationship issues and feel that you are not making progress, it might be time to reach out to a couples counsellor for guidance.
How to find a Couples Counsellor in BC
At Waypoint Counselling Network, we know finding the right therapist is the most important step in seeking help. We will help match you to the right couples’ counsellor in Victoria, Vancouver, Kelowna or online anywhere in BC. All our counsellors offer online counselling via phone or video and some offer in-person sessions. Check out our couples’ counsellors below or contact us to learn more.
In-person couples counselling in Vancouver & online:
In-person couples counselling in Victoria & online:
- Jonathan Watters, RCC
- Rod Horner, RCC
- Jody Rambold, RCC
- Vanessa Hutton, RCC
- Charlene Hickey, RCC
- Sabrina Studney, MACP
In-person couples counselling in Kelowna & online
Online counselling anywhere:
At Waypoint, we will connect you with the right help at the right time because we know the fit is the most important factor in successful outcomes.