Frequently Asked Questions

Upon booking your first session, you’ll each receive an intake and consent form through JaneApp to complete before we meet. The forms give you an opportunity to share what brings you to counselling and explain important information about the counselling process and consent. If anything raises questions or concerns, we’ll talk about them together during your first session.

When you arrive at the Family Centre, you’ll check in at the front desk. They’ll let me know you’ve arrived, and I’ll come and meet you.

It’s completely normal to feel a little nervous before your first session. We’ll usually start with some casual conversation to help everyone settle in, and you’ll have the opportunity to ask any questions you have about counselling, the consent process, or how we’ll work together.

During our first session, my goal is to get to know both of you and begin understanding how your relationship has developed over time. We’ll talk about how you met, important decisions you’ve made together, your family, children (if applicable), your individual backgrounds, and significant life experiences that have shaped each of you.

I like to do this in a conversational way, so it may feel like we’re jumping between different topics at times. That’s okay—because it all connects. There’s no pressure to tell me everything in one session. Building understanding takes time, and we’ll go at a pace that feels comfortable for both of you.

My role isn’t to decide who’s right or wrong. It’s to help both of you better understand yourselves, each other, and the patterns that have developed in your relationship. Together, we’ll approach your experiences with curiosity rather than judgment, creating a space where both of you can feel heard, understood, and supported.

Before we finish, we’ll usually identify something I’d like you to notice, reflect on, or try before our next session. It’s a way to begin putting our conversations into practice between sessions.

In couples counselling, I see your relationship as the client, rather than each of you as individual clients. My role is to support the relationship—to help both of you better understand yourselves, each other, and the patterns that have developed between you.

I often think of this as caring for your “couple bubble.” Rather than focusing on one person being the problem, we work together to strengthen the relationship itself and create a space where both partners feel heard, understood, and valued.

For that reason, most sessions are with both partners together.

Occasionally, it may be helpful to meet with each partner individually for a session before coming back together. These individual sessions are always in service of the couples work, not individual therapy. If I recommend this, we’ll talk together about why it may be helpful and how it fits into our work as a couple.

If it becomes clear that one or both of you would benefit from ongoing individual counselling alongside our couples work, I’m happy to discuss options and provide referrals.

Throughout the process, my goal is never to determine who’s right or wrong, but to help both of you better understand yourselves, each other and the relationship you’re creating together. 

Every couple is different, so there’s no set number of sessions that’s right for everyone.

Some couples come for a handful of sessions to work through a specific challenge or improve communication. Others choose to work together over a longer period as they rebuild trust, navigate a significant life transition, or work through patterns that have developed over many years.

Research suggests that many couples attend around 10–12 sessions, but the number of sessions you’ll need depends on your goals, the challenges you’re facing, and the pace that feels right for both of you.

We’ll regularly check in about your progress and work together to decide what makes the most sense for your relationship. My goal isn’t to keep you in counselling longer than you need to be—it’s to provide the support, insight, and tools that help you create lasting change.

This is very common. In many relationships, one partner is ready to reach out while the other feels hesitant or uncertain. There are lots of reasons for this. Sometimes people worry they’ll be blamed, judged, or that the counsellor will decide who’s right and who’s wrong.

That isn’t how I approach couples counselling.

My role isn’t to take sides or assign blame. My goal is to help both of you better understand yourselves, each other, and the patterns that have developed in your relationship. Together, we’ll approach those patterns with curiosity rather than judgment, looking at what’s helping your relationship and what may be getting in the way of the connection you’re both hoping for.

If your partner is reluctant, I encourage you to share my website with them so they can get a sense of who I am and how I work. Sometimes simply understanding what to expect can make counselling feel much less intimidating. I’m also happy to offer a brief consultation call to answer questions and talk about what couples counselling would look like.

If your partner isn’t ready to attend, I generally don’t recommend trying to force the issue or giving ultimatums. Instead, consider starting counselling on your own. When one person begins to understand themselves and make different choices, it often creates opportunities for positive change within the relationship.

Absolutely. In fact, this can be one of the most meaningful times to come to couples counselling.

If you’re considering separation, you don’t have to have all the answers before reaching out. Counselling can provide a safe, supportive space to slow things down, have honest conversations, and better understand what’s happening in your relationship.

Sometimes couples discover new ways of understanding each other and decide they want to work toward rebuilding their relationship. Other times, they come to the difficult but thoughtful decision that separating is the healthiest path forward.

My role isn’t to convince you to stay together or to separate. It’s to help you have the conversations that matter, with greater understanding, compassion, and clarity, so you can make decisions that align with your values and what’s best for everyone involved.

Relationships evolve and change, and even when a romantic relationship comes to an end, the relationship itself often continues—especially when children are involved. Couples counselling can help you navigate that transition with greater respect, healthier communication, and a stronger foundation for whatever comes next.

Sometimes the goal isn’t simply saving a relationship–it’s creating a healthier relationship, whatever form that relationship may take moving forward.