Couples Therapy - Hamilton & Online Across Ontario
Support for stronger, more secure relationships.
You may find yourselves having the same argument over and over. One of you pushes for connection while the other shuts down. Small disagreements escalate quickly, or tension lingers long after the conversation ends. You both want things to feel different, but you’re not sure how to get there.You both want things to feel different, but you're not sure how to get there. Maybe careers, kids, and busy schedules have left you feeling more like roommates than partners.
ADHD, anxiety, or the impact of past trauma can intensify emotional reactivity and miscommunication. Over time, stress and unresolved attachment wounds can make it harder to feel emotionally safe or close.
Couples therapy offers a structured, supportive space to slow the cycle down and understand what’s happening beneath the conflict.
Therapy is not about deciding who is right or wrong. We focus on the interactional pattern that pulls you both in, helping conversations become less defensive and more productive so both partners feel heard and respected.
How Couples Therapy Can Help
Break out of repeating conflict cycles and understand what keeps them going
communicate needs and emotions without escalation, shutdown, or blame
rebuild trust after hurt, distance, or betrayal
repair after conflict instead of staying stuck in resentment
strengthen emotional and physical intimacy
feel more like a team again, even during stress or life transitions
gain clarity together if you're unsure about the future of your relationship
Planning to get married or move in together? Couples therapy can also help you build strong habits for communication and conflict before problems start.
My Approach
I work with couples using two of the most widely researched approaches to couples therapy: the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT). Each brings something different, and together they help couples identify negative interaction patterns, build emotional safety, and develop practical tools for communication and conflict repair.
My role is to support both partners in feeling heard and understood, while helping you create a relationship that feels more secure, respectful, and connected. Sessions are collaborative, balanced, and paced in a way that feels manageable for both of you.
The Gottman Method
The Gottman Method is grounded in decades of research on what helps relationships last. It tends to be practical, structured, and skills-focused. We often start with an assessment that gives us a clear picture of your relationship's strengths and areas for growth.
From there, we work on things like managing conflict without it spiralling, softening how difficult conversations start, and recognizing patterns such as criticism, defensiveness, or shutting down. We also focus on rebuilding friendship, fondness, and appreciation, because these are often the first things to fade when life gets busy or stressful. Many couples appreciate that they leave sessions with concrete tools they can start using right away.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
EFT is based on attachment science, which looks at how we seek closeness, comfort, and security with the people we love. Rather than focusing mainly on skills, EFT helps you understand what's happening underneath the conflict.
Often, couples get caught in a cycle where one partner pursues and the other pulls away, or both shut down to avoid getting hurt. In EFT, we slow these moments down to explore the feelings and needs beneath the reactions, like fear of being rejected, feeling not good enough, or longing to feel close. As you begin to see the cycle as the problem rather than each other, it becomes easier to reach for one another in new ways and build a more secure emotional bond.
How I Bring Them Together
In practice, I draw from both, and I don't follow a rigid script. Sometimes I use the Gottman Method in a more structured way, with assessments and specific exercises. Other times, our work looks more like EFT, giving you space to slow down and understand each other on a deeper level. Most often, it's a blend of the two.
My focus is always on what your relationship needs right now, and we can adjust our approach as we go.
Premarital Counselling
Preparing for marriage is an exciting time, and it's also a great moment to invest in your relationship before challenges arise. Together, we'll talk openly about expectations, values, finances, family patterns, and the future you want to build. We'll also practise healthy ways to communicate and work through conflict, so you can begin this next chapter feeling connected, understood, and confident in your partnership.
What to Expect
In our early sessions, we’ll focus on:
understanding your relationship history and current challenges
identifying patterns that keep you feeling stuck
clarifying your shared goals for therapy
creating a safe and structured space for difficult conversations
You don’t need to have the right words or a clear plan. That's something we can work on together.
Not sure if couples therapy is the right step? Start with a free 15-minute consultation.
FAQs
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Couples counselling may be helpful if you’re experiencing:
frequent arguments or unresolved conflict
emotional distance or loss of intimacy
difficulty trusting one another
communication breakdowns
stress related to parenting, work, or major life changes
a desire to strengthen your relationship before problems escalate
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85 Minute Couples Intake Session - Discussions about challenges & goals
Individual 50 Minute Sessions - Getting to know each of you as individuals including attachment style, personal family history and goals
85 Minute Session - Discussion of shared goals and how to achieve them
85 or 55 Minute Sessions -Ongoing
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This is very common and doesn’t mean therapy won’t be helpful. Couples counselling can still be effective even when partners arrive with different levels of readiness. We’ll move at a pace that feels respectful to both of you, ensuring each partner feels heard while working toward shared understanding and goals.
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Fees for couples therapy depend on treatment goals and session length, and I’m happy to discuss options that support your unique situation. Typically, an 85-minute session is $285 and a 55-minute session is $185.
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Yes, anywhere in Ontario.
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That's more common than you might think, and you don't need to have decided before starting. Many couples come in with one partner leaning in and the other feeling unsure, or both feeling stuck and exhausted. Therapy can give you space to slow down, understand how you got here, and look honestly at what each of you wants. My role isn't to push you in either direction. For some couples, this process brings them closer together. For others, it brings clarity and a more respectful way forward apart. Either way, you won't have to figure it out alone.
Questions? Get in touch
I typically respond within 1 business day. Please don't include personal health information in this form, as website forms aren't secure. Information you share with me is protected under Ontario's PHIPA. If you're in crisis, call or text 9-8-8 or dial 911.
