Couples Counselling in Mississauga
Couples counselling with a Registered Psychotherapist and Certified Emotionally Focused Therapist, for couples who know this relationship matters and can't work out why it keeps getting so hard. In person in Port Credit or online anywhere in Ontario.
You Make Up, and a Week Later You're Back Here
The fight is rarely about what started it. One of you feels brushed off, the other feels criticized, and it ends with an apology that doesn't really settle anything.
It can also look like:
- Feeling more like roommates than partners
- Trust shaken by cheating or something kept secret
- Not agreeing on moving in, marriage or kids
- Pressure from family, culture or money
- Less closeness or sex than either of you wants
You might be wondering whether needing help at this point means you're wrong for each other. Usually it means you've found the places where you each feel least secure, and every close relationship has those. They're worth understanding before you make any big decisions.
WORKING WITH ME
Relationship Counselling at Any Stage
I'm Sherriden Brown. I see couples who are dating, living together, common-law, and plenty who aren't sure yet what they are to each other. You don't need to be married or in crisis to book.
I'm certified in emotionally focused therapy, one of the most thoroughly researched approaches to couples work. Couples who come before the pattern has had years to set usually find the work moves faster.
MY PROCESS
The Three Stages of Couples Counselling With EFT
Emotionally Focused Therapy moves through three stages. First we slow your arguments down and find the cycle you both get pulled into, so you can see it as something you're caught in together.
In the second stage, you each learn to ask for what you need in a way the other can hear and respond to. This is usually where couples feel the biggest shift.
The last stage is about making it hold, so the new way of talking still works when you're tired, stressed or under pressure.
What The Future Could look Like
What Could Change Between You
You can disagree about money, family or where to live and still finish the conversation on the same side. When your partner goes quiet, you have a better sense of what's going on for them, and they can tell when your frustration is really worry. Whatever you decide about your next step, you decide it together.
THE PRACTICAL DETAILS
Seeing a Couples Therapist in Mississauga
Cost, location and session times.
Fees and Insurance
$230 for a 50-minute session. Psychotherapy isn't covered by OHIP, but most extended health plans cover a Registered Psychotherapist, and I bill your insurer directly.
In Person or Online
In person at 92 Lakeshore Road East in Port Credit, near the GO station, or online from anywhere in Ontario.
Session Times
Sessions run Monday to Friday between 9 and 6. You can pick a time that suits you both on my booking page.
Is One of You Keener Than the Other?
That's common. You can send your partner this page, or book the call on your own and we'll start from there.
FAQs
Questions About Couples Counselling
Do we have to be married to go to couples therapy?
No. You can come in whether you've been dating for a few months or living together for years. I also work with LGBTQ+ couples.
Is couples counselling different from marriage or relationship counselling?
Not really. Couples counselling, relationship therapy and marriage counselling all describe the same work, and I use the same approach for each. My marriage counselling page speaks to couples who have been married for a while, and this page is for couples at any other point.
Should we try counselling before moving in or getting engaged?
If the same topic keeps turning into an argument, it's worth looking at before you sign a lease or set a date. If you're already engaged, premarital counselling is set up for exactly that.
How long does couples counselling take?
There's no set number of sessions. We review how it's going along the way, and you decide when you've got what you came for.
My partner has a lot of past trauma. Should they do individual therapy first?
I'd encourage individual therapy for anyone with a trauma history. The evidence is also clear that emotionally focused couples therapy can be a good place to heal from past trauma.
What are the signs couples therapy isn't working?
If a few sessions in, neither of you finds it any easier to talk about hard things, tell me. I'd rather talk about it openly and adjust than have you keep coming out of habit.
Book a Free 15-Minute Call
Ask me anything you'd like to know before starting. Either of you can book it, or you can join together.