Marriage and/or Relationship Issues EMDR

Marriage and/or Relationship Issues

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.

EMDR, Emotionally Focused Therapy - Individuals

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 Emotion Focused Therapy rather than Emotionally Focused therapy.  You will want to confirm that it is indeed Emotionally Focused Therapy that the counsellor/psychologist practices. 

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

Lisa Webster

M.A., CCC
    • In-Person Sessions
  What makes Lisa stand out is her warm personality and her straight forward approach. With gentleness and humour, she guides clients to find their own insights, while providing tools and teaching techniques... Read more

Eileen Peterson

M.S.W., RCSW
    • Online booking
  NOTE: To provide support during COVID-19 precautions,  sessions may now be in person or virtual: video or by phone. Please call or email to book your appointment. Taking new clients. I'm a... 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

Steven Lake

M.Ed., CCC
Dr. Lake has a PhD in Educational Administration. He has a personal interest in emotion and crisis management and created a Model Of Effective Crisis Management for his dissertation. His Master's degree is in... 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

Sarah Siddiqui RCC

M.S.W., RSW
    • Online booking
*Now Accepting Clients.  For insurance purposes: please note I am an RSW and RCC* Whether trying therapy has been an unfulfilled new year’s resolution for the past number of years, something that just... Read more
As a Psychotherapist, Leadership / Peak Performance Coach, and Facilitator, I’m here to support you.   I have a Master’s Certificate in Values-Based Leadership from Royal Roads University and a... 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

Penney Hartsen

M.S.W., RCSW
    • Video on profile
Life is difficult. We all struggle at times and need help to find our way. This is a safe place to sit with our doubts and insecurities...no judgement... on the way to healing and developing into the person you most... Read more

Deborrah Dunne

Ph.D., RCC
The decision to go for counselling often arises in the face of crisis and overwhelm. It can also come about because we are tired of dragging our issues along with us through days, weeks, months and even years. My goal... Read more

Ashley Shankar

M.S.W., RCSW
I’m a cis South Asian woman. My Masters in Social Work from the University of British Columbia has granted me the opportunity to work extensively in diverse community mental health settings. I work with... Read more