Marriage Counseling Canada: Where To Find High-Quality Care
Many couples participate in couples or marriage counselling at some point in their relationship. People seek marriage counseling for a wide variety of reasons—not just because of conflict. Some people seek relationship counseling to strengthen their bond, achieve personal growth, or receive help navigating major life transitions. While more and more couples are becoming open to therapy, some may not know how to find the right therapist for their needs. Keep reading to learn more about marriage counseling, how it can strengthen relationships, and where to find experienced relationship therapists in Canada.
How couples therapy can help
Couples therapy can help couples who are experiencing challenging moments in their relationship. These may be related to affair recovery, major life transitions, or negative patterns of communication. A registered psychotherapist can help couples improve their communication skills and address issues related to trust. This process can lead to deeper intimacy and greater relationship satisfaction.
What methods are used in couples or family therapy?
Couples counselors can use a variety of approaches, depending on the needs and goals of each couple. One method a couples therapist may use is emotionally focused therapy (EFT). EFT can facilitate a better understanding of interaction patterns and help couples understand each other’s emotions more deeply.
Another method that a marriage and family therapist may use is the Gottman Method. The Gottman Method typically incorporates techniques like strengthening love maps, engaging in physiological soothing, and deepening the friendship at the core of a relationship.
How therapists can help with anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders
In addition to helping couples with relationship issues, therapists can support couples who are navigating a mental health diagnosis. Therapy can help not only the person diagnosed but also their partner. The partner of a person living with a mental illness often must learn how to support the person they love while also using coping skills to bolster their own mental health.
Marriage counseling Canada: Where to find a counselor
Some people might begin their search for a marriage or couples counselor by searching directories of therapists in Canada, as many therapists advertise their services on directories that are searchable by location. When searching these directories, it may help to note that some therapists who provide individual therapy also provide therapy to couples. It may be worth asking if a therapist has more experience with individuals or couples before committing to therapy.
Finding culturally relevant therapy
Many couples prefer to speak with a marriage counselor who understands their culture and language. Some directories allow users to search for therapists by preferred language. For example, couples may be able to find a therapist who speaks French, Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish, or Punjabi. Therapists trained in cultural competence may understand not only the language a couple speaks but also various cultural nuances that can heavily influence relationship dynamics, expectations of family members, and other factors.
Online therapy for couples
Some couples might live in an area with few registered marriage therapists. Others may prefer to see a therapist outside their local community. In these cases, help is available via online therapy. Online marriage counseling allows couples to communicate with a therapist via audio, video, or live chat at a time that suits their schedule. With Regain, couples can be matched with one of thousands of therapists according to their preferences, including language, cultural background, and sexual orientation.
Individual therapy online
In some cases, one partner is not ready or willing to attend marriage counselling. In these cases, individual counselling can still help the other partner navigate relationship concerns, as well as any personal mental health challenges they’re experiencing, such as low self-esteem. With BetterHelp, individuals can be matched with a therapist from a network of more than 25,000 mental health professionals. In addition to weekly sessions, users can reach out to their therapists at any time through in-app messaging, and their therapists will generally respond as soon as they can. This feature may be especially helpful on days or nights when people experience distress about relationship concerns or mental health challenges.
In addition to offering flexible communication options, research suggests that online therapy can effectively treat numerous mental health conditions. One study found that online cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) was more effective than in-person CBT for symptoms of depression, which may be common in people experiencing serious relationship challenges.
Takeaway
Marriage counseling Canada: Where can you find it?
Many marriage counselors list their services online through professional therapist directories or their own websites. Some people might find a therapist through a Canadian association for marriage therapy or a similar type of organization. Marriage counseling is also available through online therapy platforms.
How can couples therapy help with anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders?
Couples therapy can help couples who are experiencing relationship challenges related to a mental health diagnosis. Therapy can help both the person living with a disorder as well as their partner, who may benefit from learning about the diagnosis and how to best support their partner while caring for their own well-being.
How much is couples or family therapy in Canada?
Couples or family therapy costs in Canada can vary considerably. If you were to seek out an appointment today, costs may range from around $125 to $225 per session, but prices may vary depending on location and therapist experience. Clients may be able to save by signing up for online therapy, which can be more affordable than in-person counselling.
Is marriage counseling successful?
Although updated research is needed, according to one study published in the Journal of Marital Family Therapy, couples therapy positively affects approximately 70% of couples. Research indicates that this rate is much higher than that of control groups not receiving therapy.
What training do marriage therapists have?
Most marriage and family therapists in Canada have at least a master’s degree. They typically also have to complete supervised hours and clinical training.
What organization certifies marriage therapists in Canada?
The Canadian Association for Couple and Family Therapy confers the designation of Registered Marriage & Family Therapist (RMFT) to therapists who have met all requirements, including educational requirements. Checking that your therapist has this or a related designation can ensure they have the proper qualifications to help you and your partner.
When should couples seek marriage counseling?
Couples may want to consider seeking marriage counselling, even just a few sessions, if resolving conflicts between them has become difficult or impossible. A couples counselling provider can also help partners rebuild trust, move past the same arguments, hold space for each other's emotions, or address underlying issues if anyone is feeling disconnected. All that said, it's also not uncommon to seek couples counselling when things are going relatively well, as a form of relationship maintenance. Note that partners seeking individual counselling for their own well-being can also be effective, especially in combination with couples counselling.
What should you look for in a marriage counselor?
In general, the most important thing to look for in any type of counselor is someone you feel comfortable opening up to, and someone your partner does as well. A marriage counselor should be able to create a safe space and a supportive environment where couples who feel unfulfilled or disconnected can both feel heard. Additionally, you may want someone who has expertise in a specific area, such as non-monogamy, queer relationships, parenting disagreements, deciding whether to divorce, a partner living with a certain mental illness, or whatever else may apply to your situation.
What type of therapist is best for marriage counseling?
There's a diverse team of therapists out there who provide marriage counseling, practicing a number of therapy approaches. Some common types include the Gottman method, couples cognitive behavioral therapy, and various stress management-based approaches, among many other forms. Different types of therapists and therapy approaches might be right for different couples, so researching different approaches or asking a counseling professional which might be right for your situation could be a helpful next step.
What is the most successful type of marriage counseling?
According to one paper on the topic, cognitive behavioral couple therapy, integrative behavioral couple therapy, and emotionally focused couple therapy are three of the most effective methods of couples therapy for reducing relationship distress. That said, each set of clients is different, and the format that is a game-changer and provides hope for the future for one may not be right for the other, so a tailored approach is required.
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