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(514) 482-3327
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- Montreal Therapy Services
Queen Elizabeth Health Complex
2100 Marlowe
Suite 626
Montreal, Qc, H4A 3L6
514-482-3327 -
A subdivision of:
Montreal Psychology Center
1310 Greene Ave. suite 760
Westmount, Qc, H3Z 2B2
514-515-9350
Couple Therapy
Relationships can be very trying. Even couples with good intentions can develop negative patterns of communication which slowly erode the deep affection which once created a strong bond. If you and your partner are experiencing intense and recurring conflicts or a lack of intimacy, your relationship may benefit from professional counseling.
Couple therapy is a specialty. In order to maximize the effectiveness of couple therapy, counseling professionals need to go beyond applying the techniques that are effective in individual therapy (see Making Couple Therapy More Effective). A good couple therapist attempts to (a) understand the dynamic system formed by two individuals; and (b) alter the negative cycle of interaction produced by the couple. A skilled couple therapist helps each client to recognize that it is the system formed by the couple which is malfunctioning, not a particular individual. Such insight often provides motivation for the couple to work as a unit towards common goals.
At the Montreal Clinic for Therapy Services, our psychologists and counseling professionals have benefited from specialized Ph.D. level training in the area of couple distress. This specialization included a full year of supervised training at reputable sites such as the Royal Victoria Hospital. This extensive training has provided our therapists with the expertise necessary to help you improve your relationship.
Couple therapy can help you:
- Understand your partner’s emotions
- Improve communication
- Obtain skills to de-escalate conflict
- Increase emotional & sexual intimacy
- Solve specific problems such as finances, division of household chores, infidelity, child rearing, dealing with extended family, etc…
- Achieve & maintain a high level of overall couple satisfaction
How can couple therapy help?
- Emotion-focused couple therapy can help you understand your partner’s true feelings. Discover the hidden emotions behind your partner’s expressed feelings. Use this information to change your own behavior and break the negative cycle of interaction.
- Couple therapy can help improve communication. Discover what listening entails and how it can help your partner feel understood and more connected to you. In addition, learn to be assertive rather than passive or aggressive.
- Research has shown that as long as disagreements do not escalate to the level of hatred they are not harmful in the long-term. Learn to de-escalate conflict before it becomes damaging by applying the “FIVE FAIR FIGHTING RULES”.
- Couple therapy can help you increase emotional and sexual intimacy:
- - learn to identify your needs and increase the possibility that your partner will meet your needs by expressing them assertively.
- - reconnect sexually through SENSATE FOCUS – a 4 point behavioral plan that systematically reduces anxiety related to physical intimacy allowing you to enjoy sex again.
- Couple therapy can teach you skills to solve specific problems:
- - learn to define problems in ways that help you solve them
- - learn to generate potential solutions
- - learn to compromise
- Happy couples have a 5 to 1 ratio of positive to negative interactions. In other words, for every negative interaction (e.g. an argument, unnecessary criticism, etc…) happy couples experience 5 positive interactions (e.g. a hug, kiss, complement, constructive criticism, etc…). Thus, if the goal is to enjoy a satisfying relationship it is simply not enough to reduce negative interactions. One of the objectives of good couple therapy is to improve couple satisfaction by facilitating positive interactions.
If you are experiencing intense and/or recurrent couple difficulties, a professional at the Montreal Clinic for Therapy Services can help.