Information

What is a Marriage and Family therapist? A Marriage and Family therapist, (M.F.T.), is a person who has earned a graduate degree in psychology or a related field, has a minimum of two years clinical supervision and is licensed by the State.  As an M.F.T., I choose to focus on the relationships my clients participate in and I work with my clients to assist them in making the most of their roles as spouses, parents, colleagues, or in any other relationship of importance.   

Relationship therapy or marital counseling may be the right choice for you if you are interested in preserving your marriage or repairing a relationship where chronic tension, hostility, contempt, or avoidance of the other person has become the theme of the relationship.  Whether you want to improve your marriage, work through issues regarding extended family or in-laws, workplace conflicts, or become a better parent, professional relationship therapy may be the right choice for you. 
 
Couple’s workshops: Utilizing a small group setting, 4 to 5 couples, we focus on research based skills, communication strategies, and interpersonal dynamics that have been suggested lead to lasting marital satisfaction.  

Relationship consultation: Utilizing interview and assessment data suggested in the latest research I work with you to outline a plan for relationship improvement or maintenance.  This is designed for couples and families who want to make the most out of their marriage or family and keep the number of sessions reduced.  In-home sessions may be available and all members of the immediate family are encouraged to participate. 

Affairs: A program designed for couples who want to remain together in a trusting relationship or individuals struggling to remain committed to one person. Session content will include some of the following topics;

1. contribution to the relationship that fosters infidelity
2. grief work for the loss of the relationship ideal
3. courage to continue a strength not a weakness
4. empathy building
5. recapitulation of family of origin issues
6. boundary setting
7. underlying issues contributing to the relationship
8. Rebuilding trust-fidelity-security
9. Learning to forgive, not forget.

Skills training: Utilizing Behaviour Modification to change the methods of interaction that appear to be problematic for the couple for adaptive research based methods to improve communication, problem solving, blame reduction, lessened emotional reactivity, and much more.  This is a present focused method meaning insight oriented or depth-psychological approaches will be minimal. 

Premarital consultation: In an objective, caring, and supportive environment while employing a research based program I assist you in identifying your marriage goals, values, and beliefs that will help you make the most out of your marriage. This program employs concepts from both the relationship consultation and skills training blocks to maximize marital satisfaction.

Domestic Violence:  Also referred to as intimate partner violence can have a devastating effect on the couple and research has shown that violence in the home has a deleterious effect on children.  Physical altercations between the couple, forced sexual contact from one spouse to another, property destruction, harming or threatening to harm the family pets, statements meant to hurt, embarrass, or humiliate the other person, are only a few of the general examples of violence between couples.   At this time, some research appears to suggest that men and women may be equal in their propensity for violent behaviour in an intimate relationship; however, you do not have to live this way anymore.  I work with individuals and conduct groups for those who have decided that being aggressive in their relationships is no longer what they want.  This program is only for individuals who are willing to examine and change their role as the aggressor in their relationships.  

Victim services please see the link to the Family Justice Center. 

Sexual Compulsivity: examples include some of the following; chronic affairs, pornography is becoming a problem for you or in your relationship, time spent in online sexual pursuits increases,  becoming sexually interested in behaviours that you previously found to be abhorrent,

Potential indications that a problem exists are;

1. spending more time in pursuit of the given behaviour than intended e.g., blowing off family, friends, or work in order to get online
2. spending more money in pursuit of the given behaviour than intended e.g. spending money for internet pornography when you told yourself you never would.
3. your spouse or loved ones complain about your behaviour
4. you find yourself feeling ashamed afterwards
5. you find yourself hiding what you do
6. you find yourself becoming aroused by things that others might object to
7. you feel as though you live two separate lives
8. difficulty getting work completed
9. difficulty sleeping
10. increased drug or alcohol use while acting out