Marriage and/or Relationship Issues, Trauma Counselling EMDR

Marriage and/or Relationship Issues, Trauma Counselling

Entering into a relationship means merging your life with another person, understanding his or her flaws, quirks and beliefs. With marriage rates declining and divorce statistics set at 50%, it is clear that people are increasingly challenged by marriage and relationship issues, and many lack effective ways to address them. So how can we bridge the gap to understanding our partners better and enjoying romantic bliss?

Many factors affect the interpersonal relationship between two partners who are a couple and sometimes it's hard to see the cause of conflict or friction in a relationship. While some people find divorce to be the best or only option, other people speak to counsellors and psychologists  in a bid to try salvage the relationship.

Signs that indicate a need for couples counselling include poor communication in a relationship, affairs, living past one another, inability to resolve marriage of couples' issues, and acting out negative feelings. When divorce seems like the only option, or if a couple is staying together for the kids' sake, that's a sure sign that therapy is needed.

Therapists do not necessarily  believe that all marriages can be salvaged, but counselling can often help even some of the most challenged relationships.  Through talk therapy, the couple will discover again why they fell in love and what they can do to get back to that place in their marriage. They use a range of effective, proven methods to help couples in any situation to restore intimacy and move past the hurt and wounds to a safe and comfortable place.

The concrete tools used by marriage therapists provide guidance in a supportive and encouraging setting and empower clients to restructure their thoughts and emotions. It helps the couple to work with each other, instead of on one another, helping each individual to find the person he or she is at the core level and to build a happy union.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who works with  couples you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Trauma counselling can assist with a wide range of internal emotional reactions to devastating situations. Some people experience things as more traumatic than others, and therefore they will need help in coping the emotional burdens of an event or situation.

Stressful events such as death of a loved one, rape, abuse, accidents, divorce, violence or bullying can leave people unable to cope or process the emotional burdens. However, it is not only events linked to the individual personally, but also being a witness to events that might leave a person with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This includes being a victim to violence or natural disasters - there is no limit to the causes of trauma.

In the case of PTSD, people can develop many different psychological reactions, as determined by their own coping skills, emotional stability and background. Symptoms of PTSD include a anger, depression, flashbacks, insomnia, nightmares, social withdrawal, loss of self esteem and confidence, and substance abuse.

It takes a strong person to have the courage to stand up and request trauma counselling. This is no time to compare yourself to other people in similar situations, but rather to recognize that everyone has a different reaction to trauma. Therefore, it is important to address the symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder as soon as possible to help you deal with emotions in a healthy way and to overcome the difficulties you are facing. Trauma counselling can help avert potentially more severe psychological disorders, that can occur if PTSD is left untreated.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who provides  trauma counselling to address your posttraumatic stress management issues you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

EMDR, Emotion Focused Therapy

EMDR, also known as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy uses a range of processes to address the full clinical situation. Dual stimulation is one of the key elements and the therapist will use tools such as bilateral eye movements, taps or tones.

Reprocessing involves the client momentarily attending to triggers, past memories or anticipated future events, all the while focusing on the supplied external stimulus. Normally, the client will experience memory changes, new associations and insights. EMDR has been found to be incredibly useful for processing past and present trauma that can continue to impact an individual in many ways.

There are eight phases to EMDR treatment and the therapist will devise a treatment plan during the first phase, and equip the client with the necessary coping skills in the second phase. Phases 3-6 cover the actual EMDR treatment, described above. Phase 7 is about closure, while phase eight is all about re-evaluation of the process.

If you are looking for a therapist who offers EMDR Therapy, please browse our list of practitioners below..

Note:  Some practitioners practice Emotionally Focused Therapy rather than Emotional Focused therapy.  You will want to confirm that it is indeed Emotion Focused Therapy that the counsellor/psychologist practices.  

Note: You may narrow your search by selecting more than one filter below.

Dawna Silver

M.A., RCC
Hello, and thank you for taking the time to read my profile. If you are like many people who seek therapy, you are struggling. Maybe you are in a time of crisis in your life. Something has happened out of the blue that... Read more

Lorill Drummund

M.Ed., RCC
    • In-Person Sessions
    • Article(s) on profile
I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (#0921) working in BC since 1994 as a therapist, group facilitator, and instructor. My primary focus is working with couples to break through their ... Read more

Drew Harms

MCP, RCC
    • Online booking
Hi, my name is Drew and I am a dedicated therapist who works with anxiety, depression, life transitions, grief, couples counselling, women's issues, children's play therapy, teen issues and perinatal mental... Read more

Kathryn Hall

M.A., RCC
    • Online booking
I believe that therapy is space that can be helpful for anyone and everyone. Some people come to therapy to work through significant life events or traumatic experiences they have been through, while some people come to... Read more

Mary Wilkerson

MCP, RCC
Step into a nurturing space for your transformative journey. As someone who's lived the roles of wife, mother, and teacher, I deeply understand life's challenges. My focus is on supporting individuals through... Read more

Spencer Copland

MCP, RCC
    • Online booking
Spencer Copland Therapy I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors. My offices are located in Vancouver and I work with clients throughout BC.  ... Read more
    • Online booking
I'm Kristen Hamilton-Block (she/her), a Registered Clinical Counsellor and Approved Clinical Supervisor with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors. I've dedicated the past 15 years to working with... Read more

Shawna Bot

M.A., RCC
    • Online booking
Taking that first step towards healing takes courage! I want to honour that and walk alongside of you while we work towards your wellness goals. The reality is that not many people are taught the skills to deal... Read more

Jennifer Vishloff

M.A., RCC
    • Online booking
Many of the clients I’ve worked with feel overwhelmed by their emotions. On the outside they are able to be successful through a lot of hard work, but inside they feel like they’re barely holding it together... Read more

Claire DeBoer

M.A., RCC
    • Online booking
Do you feel like you and your partner can't communicate without conflict? Are you stuck in a cycle where you try to connect and they shut down and pull away? These patterns are normal in long-term... Read more

Aditi Jasra

MCP, RCC
    • Online booking
Are you feeling stuck or lost? Perhaps, you are struggling with overwhelm, confusion or sensing emptiness in your life? Are you looking for some direction or support with your mental health struggles and daily... Read more

Elaine Zbitniff

M.A., RCC
Elaine is a registered clinical counsellor and has former experience as a registered nurse in the specialties burns and plastic surgery unit and in a hospice. Her knowledge as a nurse has been informative to... Read more

David Zhang

M.C., RCC
MC, R.C.C. (#19056). ICBC Direct billing. Sometimes we’ve been wounded. We are bitter and end up in hard places. We are in relationships that have grown painful, disappointing, even hopeless. It seems... Read more

Lisa Bylsma

M.Ed., RCC
Currently accepting new clients. Available for in-person sessions in Nanaimo or virtual sessions anywhere in BC. After over 12 years working as a counsellor within government and non-profit organizations, I have... Read more

Annu Dha

M.A., RCC
    • Online booking
  About Me I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor born and raised in Vancouver. I have a Masters Degree in Counselling (MA) and over a decade of related experience. I've worked in diverse... Read more

Donna Vidas

M.A., RCC
    • Online booking
Some issues I regularly work with in therapy include: Overcoming recent or life-long patterns that may be interfering with your enjoyment of life resolving traumatic experiences managing life transitions... Read more

Cate Pelling

M.A., RCC
As a Registered Clinical Counsellor with a MA in Counselling Psychology, I have been working in private practice since 2003.  Previous to this, I worked for a number of years in clinical settings... Read more