Couples Counselling Edmonton
In person and online couples therapy that works.
Here at Loving Choices, we support all relationship types. Whether you’re struggling in your marriage, you’re looking to build a strong foundation for a new relationship, or you simply don’t know how to talk to each other after a traumatic break or breach of trust, learning to make Loving Choices can help your relationship thrive.
Couples Counselling Edmonton
In person and online couples therapy that works.
Here at Loving Choices, we support all relationship types. Whether you’re struggling in your marriage, you’re looking to build a strong foundation for a new relationship, or you simply don’t know how to talk to each other after a traumatic break or breach of trust, learning to make Loving Choices can help your relationship thrive.
Are you always fighting with your partner?
Do you feel like all you and your partner do is fight? If it seems like you can’t stop fighting and there’s no way to have a conversation without it turning volatile, there is a better way. Constantly fighting with your partner can be an excruciatingly painful experience, leaving you emotionally exhausted and creating a significant rift in your relationship. Whether you and your partner engage in explosive arguments regularly or find yourselves having minor disagreements multiple times a day, the relentless conflict saps your energy and leaves you feeling completely disconnected from or resentful of your relationship. Your options don’t have to be constant fighting or silence, whether you’re new into your relationship or have been together for years, there’s still time to learn how to communicate in a healthy and loving way.
Couples therapy provides tools to:
- Repair the damage caused by persistent fighting.
- Guide you towards healthier conflict resolution.
- Learn to engage in constructive dialogue and focusing on working together
- Create opportunities for growth and understanding, ultimately strengthening your relationship.
Do you feel like your partner just doesn’t understand you?
Poor communication with your partner can leave you feeling deeply misunderstood and isolated. Do your words often get misconstrued? Does it seem like you’re always talking in circles, never reaching an understanding or compromise? This sense of frustration and disconnect can be incredibly taxing on a relationship, making you feel like your voice is lost and your perspective overlooked. The inability to speak openly and grasp each other’s viewpoints can lead to feelings of resentment and emotional distance, creating a barrier that seems impossible to overcome. You might find yourself second-guessing your thoughts and emotions, feeling trapped in a cycle of miscommunication that only intensifies with time. The constant struggle to be heard and understood can erode the foundation of trust and intimacy that a healthy relationship depends on.
Couples Counselling can help you:
- Develop better communication skills,
- Foster mutual understanding
- Guide you towards more effective and empathetic ways of connecting.
- Bridge the communication gap, ensuring that both partners feel valued, heard, and understood.
Are you finding intimacy problems in your relationship?
Intimacy issues can cast a long shadow over a relationship, leading to feelings of disconnection and loneliness. Whether it’s a lack of physical closeness or emotional intimacy, these problems can create a significant strain. Physical intimacy, encompassing everything from affectionate touch to sexual connection, is crucial for many relationships. Equally important is emotional intimacy, the deep sense of understanding, trust, and closeness that binds partners together. When either or both of these aspects are lacking, it can lead to frustration, insecurity, and relational disconnect. Understanding your partner’s needs and making an effort to connect with them on both levels is vital for maintaining a healthy relationship.
Couples intimacy counselling can be instrumental in:
- Addressing intimacy issues in a safe space to explore and resolve barriers.
- Use guided communication and exercises to help you and your partner rebuild and strengthen your bond
- Fostering a deeper connection and ensuring that everyone feels valued, loved, and understood.
Do you struggle to have difficult conversations with your partner?
Having hard conversations with your partner can be incredibly challenging, often filled with tension and the fear of conflict. Whether hard conversations are avoided or they frequently devolve into heated arguments, addressing sensitive topics can feel daunting and unproductive. The inability to have these critical conversations can lead to unresolved issues and growing resentment, further straining the relationship. This can create a toxic cycle where problems are never fully addressed, and emotional distance grows. It can feel like walking on eggshells, constantly fearing that bringing up important matters will only result in more pain and conflict. Seeking couples counselling can provide a safe and structured environment to tackle these difficult conversations in a healthy and constructive manner. A skilled therapist can facilitate open dialogue, ensuring both partners feel heard and understood, and guide you towards finding mutual understanding and resolution. It’s time to make these hard conversations an opportunity for growth and deeper connection.
Through Couples Counselling, you can:
- Learn effective communication strategies
- Develop empathy for each other’s perspectives
- Build a stronger, more resilient relationship
Do you struggle to be vulnerable with your partner?
Not being vulnerable with your partner and closing yourself off can lead to significant issues in a relationship. Vulnerability is the cornerstone of emotional intimacy, allowing both partners to share their deepest fears, desires, and feelings. When you withhold this openness, it can create a barrier that prevents genuine connection and understanding. Over time, this emotional distance can foster feelings of loneliness, resentment, and insecurity. Partners may begin to feel that they don’t truly know each other and trust can erode. Couples Counselling can address these challenges. By fostering a space of mutual trust and openness, you can begin to dismantle the walls that have been built up, paving the way for a stronger and more resilient relationship.
Couples counselling can help you:
- Creating a safe and supportive environment where you can truly be vulnerable.
- Guide you in developing the courage to be open and honest, teaching you how to share your inner world with your partner.
- Learn to build a deeper, more authentic connection, ensuring that both partners feel valued, understood, and emotionally fulfilled.
Meet Your Therapists
Luke Suelzle
Luke is a Registered Provisional Psychologist whose fascination with connections has helped shape the lives of his patients. Practicing in areas surrounding intimacy, sex and gender, and addiction treatment, Luke’s philosophy of a collaborative environment, respect and self-reflection create his foundation for providing therapeutic care. Uplifting LGBTQIA+, trans and non-monogamous relationships for individuals and couples, Luke endeavours to strengthen understanding, healing and growth in each facet of relationships and personal well-being. Luke will be welcoming new patients to Loving Choices this month with inclusive pricing for his services.
Luke holds a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University, and a Bachelor of Science degree from MacEwan University. He has received recognition for his training in Gottman Couples Counselling Level 1 and 2, integrative Sex and Couples training, Sex Work Bias Prevention and Addiction Counselling. Luke is currently completing training to become a Certified Sex Therapist.
Karen Kirkpatrick
Karen is a Registered Psychologist who began her career as a teacher but found her passion in supporting mental and emotional well-being. Specializing in areas of counselling such as body image concerns, anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, and trauma, Karen brings a compassionate and inclusive approach to her work. She uses humour when appropriate and practices from a Health at Every Size perspective. As an LGBTQIA, trans, sex-positive, and poly-friendly therapist, she is committed to creating a safe and welcoming space for all her clients.
Karen holds a Master of Counselling Psychology from Athabasca University and has extensive training in EMDR, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Gottman Couples Therapy, and Sex Therapy. She is currently pursuing certification as a Sex Therapist.
Dr. Jason Jones
Jason is a dedicated counselling psychologist with a passion for helping couples build stronger, healthier relationships. With a passion for understanding relationships, his work focuses on human sexuality, family dynamics, and body acceptance in relationships. Jason empowers individuals and couples to navigate challenges and grow together with a strong belief in the power of communication, empathy, and mutual understanding.
Jason holds a PhD in Psychology from NorthCentral University, a Master of Counselling from the University of Calgary, and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta. He is a Certified Sex Therapist and Supervisor with AASECT and has additional training in family and couples therapy.
Couples Counselling is Covered by Insurance
Couples counselling is a valuable resource that many individuals and couples can access through insurance coverage, with the convenience of direct billing to Blue Cross (and others). This means that our clients do not have to handle the payment process themselves, as the clinic submits claims directly to Blue Cross for reimbursement. This accessibility ensures that couples can focus on their therapy sessions without financial concerns, allowing them to receive the support they need to strengthen their relationships. Whether navigating communication challenges, intimacy issues, or other relationship dynamics, couples counselling provides a structured and supportive environment for couples to explore and address their concerns effectively.
Plus More
Couples Counselling is Normal
There’s no such thing as a ‘normal’ relationship, but there are healthy and unhealthy relationship patterns. Studies have shown that nearly 50% of married couples have gone to couples counselling. Struggling in relationships is normal, and it’s healthy to seek help. What isn’t normal or healthy is feeling like you’re constantly walking on eggshells in your own home, feeling afraid to speak your mind or ask for your needs to be met, or existing in a constant state of relationship turmoil. While many might say that ‘fighting is good’ and ‘it’s normal to be mad at your partner’, the key element of this equation is knowing how to fight or address anger in a healthy and loving way. If your relationship needs a safe space to express yourselves and learn to communicate in a way that will resolve conflicts, we’re here. Whether you’re heterosexual, LGBTQIA2S+, monogamous, polyamorous, or your relationship looks completely different, we can provide couples therapy. We’re open minded and non-judgemental. Our relationship counselling experts are here to listen and provide support with expertise and compassion.
Couples Counselling is Normal
There’s no such thing as a ‘normal’ relationship, but there are healthy and unhealthy relationship patterns. Studies have shown that nearly 50% of married couples have gone to couples counselling. Struggling in relationships is normal, and it’s healthy to seek help. What isn’t normal or healthy is feeling like you’re constantly walking on eggshells in your own home, feeling afraid to speak your mind or ask for your needs to be met, or existing in a constant state of relationship turmoil. While many might say that ‘fighting is good’ and ‘it’s normal to be mad at your partner’, the key element of this equation is knowing how to fight or address anger in a healthy and loving way. If your relationship needs a safe space to express yourselves and learn to communicate in a way that will resolve conflicts, we’re here. Whether you’re heterosexual, LGBTQIA2S+, monogamous, polyamorous, or your relationship looks completely different, we can provide couples therapy. We’re open minded and non-judgemental. Our relationship counselling experts are here to listen and provide support with expertise and compassion.
Start Healing Your Relationship
Starting to heal your relationship begins with the understanding that you don’t have to accept conflict, fighting, communication struggles, and pain as normal. These challenges can be addressed and overcome with the right support. Dr. Jason and Karen offer compassionate and expert counselling to help you navigate these difficulties, fostering healthier communication and deeper understanding between you and your partner. Don’t let unresolved issues continue to strain your bond—seek professional guidance and start your journey to a happier, more fulfilling partnership today.