Do you want to get your relationship back on track?

Have you ….

Lost trust and intimacy?
Difficulty understanding each other?
Fear that your partner will leave?
Found discussions degenerate into proving who is right?

 Check out the video of Delyse talking about relationship trauma and the impact on our lives HERE

Relationship counselling can help.

You may feel that your relationship is too hard and causes more pain than it is worth. You may be asking yourself how did we become so far apart?  It is common for relationships to experience difficulties and challenges at times. But if you are feeling stuck in a cycle then you may need some help to get you back on track.

This happens when you feel distant, angry, resentful, hurt, misunderstood, and alone, instead of progressing and learning from each other through challenges.  Stages and challenges in relationships

Making a commitment

For years I experienced overwhelming fears that prevented me from making any kind of commitment to my girlfriend. I felt absolutely stuck, continuously getting closer and further apart, closer and further apart …. and I felt frustrated … so I decided to get the help of a counsellor. Delyse helped me through individual counselling and helped me and my partner in marriage counselling sessions as a couple. With Delyse's help, I was able to make great progress in discovering and experiencing the root cause of my fears and to eventually dissolve my fears to the point where I was able to make a commitment I actually wanted. MY girlfriend also discovered fears of her own and was then able to address them! We are also new parents to a brand new baby boy! I highly recommend Delyse as a counsellor who has the experience, insight and approach to help with the problems of an individual or couple.' Keith Vancouver BC

When you are hurt by those you care about, it is easy to want to hide aspects of yourself and shut down.  You may feel that you have to defend yourself against any criticism, and conflict becomes a minefield. It is easy to end up reacting with blame. When differences become apparent between you and your partner it feels like the relationship will fall apart.

Your relationship doesn't have to be a struggle.

It may sound hard to believe, but no matter how disillusioned you feel about your relationship, there is hope. Couples therapy has helped people to overcome these difficulties and find a renewed connection.

Facing the past can improve relationships

Counselling helped me achieve a new viewpoint and understanding about my life – to cut myself some slack and realize that much of the pressure I find myself under is exerted by me! Delyse was able to help me find the ways I had hidden to my own Pandora's box and it wasn't frightening at all – a little sad sometimes, but not scary.Delyse helped me recognize things that had influenced my life were 'influences' only but that I still remained in charge of the final decisions. I have experienced renewed enthusiasm about what I can accomplish within relationships that I already enjoy! ' Ruby.

What I offer

I have worked with hundreds of couples and spent the past 15 years studying the dynamics of relationships. Helping people develop satisfying relationships is my passion. My training includes Emotionally Focused Therapy, and the Developmental Approach to couples by Ellyn Bader and Peter Pearson.

My approach involves:

• Spending the first few sessions assessing where you are in your relationship, how you have evolved to where you are, what are your individual goals for your relationship, and what needs to change. We will together develop a plan for the work.
• You will learn about how relationships develop and where you may be stuck. You will learn effective tools for communicating so that you can really hear what each other is saying. You will receive homework in between sessions to keep working on your relationship.
• You will understand the sensitivities you both bring into the relationship and the ways you create distance between you. Understanding how your nervous system hijacks your reactions helps to depersonalize your partner's behaviour towards you. Instead you can become allies in changing these dynamics. You will learn to repair hurts and express appreciations.

I have experience with many different types of relationships such as: same sex couples, those in alternative lifestyles such as polyamory and open relationships, relationships that are dealing with infidelity, grief, mental illness, and non-traditional sex roles.

Making your relationship a priority takes time and investment.

Act now to begin making changes. Sign up for my newsletter and receive '11 signs of a healthy relationship'. This will provide you with a framework of the kind of issues we work on in therapy. Call to make an appointment – 604 329 6006

You might feel that going to see a counsellor is a weakness and feel embarrassed. Or you might feel you have let yourself down because you could not do it by yourself. But it is actually the opposite!

When you make that call to improve your relationship you are taking charge! You are saying I want and deserve to be happy in my relationship.