Marriage Counselling in Mississauga: What Sets Emotionally Focused Therapy Apart | My Growth Counselling

Searching for marriage counselling in Mississauga brings up a long list of counsellors, and most of their pages sound alike. Each one promises better communication and a stronger connection. What is harder to see is how the sessions actually run, and that depends on the approach used.



I'm Sherriden Brown, a Registered Psychotherapist and Certified EFT Therapist with an office in Port Credit. I use Emotionally Focused Therapy, or EFT, with couples. This post explains what EFT is, how it differs from other approaches to couples counselling, and what to expect when you start, so you can decide whether it fits what you and your partner need.

Many of the couples I meet still love each other. They have drifted apart, or the same argument keeps returning and neither partner knows how to end it. Couples who come before a pattern has had years to set usually find that therapy moves faster, and couples who have been stuck for a long time are welcome too.

Below, you'll find a plain-language look at EFT, how it compares with other approaches, what to expect when you start, and how to choose who to work with. I also explain what a Registered Psychotherapist is, how in-person and online sessions work, and what to know about fees and insurance. A short FAQ at the end answers the questions couples ask me most often.

What Is Marriage Counselling and How Does Couples Counselling Work?

This kind of counselling gives partners a space to talk with a trained professional about what is happening between them. Couples come for many reasons, including an argument that keeps returning, a loss of closeness, a big change such as a new baby or a move, or a decision about whether to stay together. The term covers partners who are married, common-law, engaged or dating.

What happens in the room depends on the approach used. Some approaches focus on teaching communication skills or solving a specific problem. Others, like EFT, focus on the emotional bond between partners and the pattern that plays out when that bond feels at risk. You can read more about how I work on my marriage counselling page.

What Is Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy?

Emotionally Focused Therapy is a form of couples therapy built around the emotional bond between partners. ICEEFT, the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy, describes EFT as a couple intervention that uses a systematic, empirically validated theory of adult bonding. In plain terms, the idea is that each of us needs to know our partner will be there for us, and many painful arguments grow out of one or both partners feeling that connection is at risk.

A 1999 paper in Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice described EFT as one of the most researched and most effective approaches to changing distressed marital relationships. ICEEFT's research page lists outcome studies and process studies, and it says EFT has been examined with couples facing depression and PTSD.

ICEEFT is an EFT organization, so that summary comes from within the field. That research history is why EFT is often called an evidence-based approach. Research describes groups of couples. Your relationship is your own, so I treat those findings as background for our conversation, and no study can tell either of us how your therapy will go.

How Emotionally Focused Therapy Differs From Other Approaches to Couples Therapy

Sessions in EFT start from your real disagreements. There is no workbook and no script. When partners argue about the schedule, the dishes or money, I listen for the need underneath, such as the need to feel safe or valued, and I help you both see the pattern you get pulled into. Once the pattern is clear, each partner can respond to the need underneath the complaint, which can change how the argument goes. I am interested in the needs behind behaviours such as anger and criticism. EFT can also be a good place to heal from past trauma.

Approaches built around skills and ground rules can be helpful for many couples. EFT treats emotional safety, connection and understanding as the basis for change, and it adds a focus on what partners feel and need, since it treats reactions as signals of deeper needs. I see couples who want to keep a good relationship strong, and couples who have been stuck for years.

How Therapy Works When You Feel Emotional Distance

Many couples who contact me describe feeling further apart each year, even though they still care about each other. EFT moves through three stages. First, we slow your arguments down and find the cycle you both get pulled into. Next, each of you learns to ask for what you need in a way the other can hear and respond to. The last stage is about making it hold.

As each partner starts to feel heard, the other may soften, and the cycle can begin to loosen. EFT is also a way of helping couples improve communication, since each partner learns to ask for what they need in a way the other can hear. Many couples find they can bring up harder topics once that feeling is in place.

What to Expect From a Marriage Therapist in Your First Session

The first step is a free 15-minute consultation virtually or by phone. You can ask me anything before you start and see whether I'm the right fit. If you decide to go ahead, booking your first session is done through my online booking system, and you come in together. Therapy sessions are 50 minutes.

I focus on helping you both see what happens between you when you disagree, and we work toward naming the pattern you keep falling into. My office provides a safe space for each of you to say what has been hard to say. If one of you has doubts about coming, that is something we can talk about openly. We review how it's going along the way, and you decide together when you've got what you came for. If it isn't getting easier to talk about hard things, tell me so I can adjust.

How to Find a Therapist: Questions to Ask a Couples Therapist

Choosing between marriage counsellors is easier with a few questions in hand. Some therapists specialize in couples work, while many therapists see couples alongside a wide range of other concerns. In Mississauga you can choose a therapy centre or a private practice, and either can be a good fit. These questions can help you choose a therapist who suits you both:

• What is your training in couples therapy, and are you certified in the approach you use?
• How do you work with the arguments that keep returning?
• Do you see couples in person, online, or both?
• What are your fees, and do you direct bill insurers?
• How will we know whether therapy is helping?
  
  

You are welcome to ask me every one of them during a free consultation. Pay attention to how you feel during that first call. You should come away knowing how they work, what sessions cost, and whether it feels comfortable to talk with them.

What a Registered Psychotherapist Is and What the Credentials Mean

In Ontario, "Registered Psychotherapist" is a protected title, which means only people registered with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) may use it. The College describes its role as protecting the public by regulating the practice of psychotherapy in Ontario, and it keeps a public register of its registrants, so you can confirm that any of the Registered Psychotherapists in Mississauga is registered.

I'm a Registered Psychotherapist with the College (#11090) and a Canadian Certified Counsellor with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA). CCPA describes the CCC as a nationally recognized voluntary certification that requires graduate-level education and supervised clinical experience, along with adherence to a national Code of Ethics. I hold a master's degree in counselling psychology, and I'm a Certified EFT Therapist through ICEEFT, which meant supervised work with couples well past the basic training. My EFT training began with an externship in 2020, followed by core skills training in 2022, and I completed EFT certification in 2026.

I have also trained in emotionally focused family therapy and in emotionally focused individual therapy, so I see individuals and couples. You can read more on my about page.

Counselling in Mississauga With Sherriden Brown, Registered Psychotherapist

My office is at 92 Lakeshore Road East in Port Credit, near the GO station. I specialize in helping couples who still love each other but feel further apart every year, including couples who have been married for years before they call. As an experienced couples therapist, I keep the space non-judgmental, and I try to make it comfortable for both partners to speak honestly. I have appointments available Monday to Friday between 9 and 6.

In-Person Therapy in Mississauga or Virtual Couples Therapy Across Ontario

I see couples in person at my Port Credit office. I also see couples online anywhere in Ontario. Online therapy follows the same approach, and virtual sessions are for couples who join together from the same space. Virtual therapy can suit couples who live outside Mississauga or whose schedules make travel hard. The fee is the same whether you come to the office or meet online.

How Therapy Can Support Couples Who Want to Rebuild Connection

EFT is meant for couples who feel distant or who are under relationship strain. It aims to build stronger emotional awareness, less reactivity during conflict, more emotional responsiveness and a deeper sense of trust and security. When couples reconnect, they often find healthier ways of relating to each other, and the goal is meaningful and lasting change.

EFT can also help couples who want to rebuild trust after an affair, and I have specialized training in the EFT model for attachment injuries. You can read about infidelity counselling or my post on rebuilding trust after cheating. If you are still deciding whether to seek help, Is Your Marriage Worth Saving? may be a useful place to start.

Relationship Counselling Costs, Insurance and Booking Online

Sessions are $230 for 50 minutes, and the first call is free. OHIP doesn't cover psychotherapy, but most extended health plans that cover it will cover sessions with a Registered Psychotherapist, and I direct bill all the main insurers, so you pay only what your plan doesn't. Check with your insurer to see whether your services are covered.

You can book online through my booking system. Please give 48 hours' notice to cancel or reschedule, since sessions cancelled with less notice may be charged in full. You can find the details on my fees page.

Frequently Asked Questions About Marriage Counselling in Mississauga

What is the success rate of couples counselling?

No single success rate applies to every couple, and I don't want to quote a number that doesn't fit your situation. EFT has been studied in outcome research and process research, as described above. How therapy goes for you depends on your circumstances and on how each partner takes part.

How much does couples therapy cost in Mississauga?

Fees differ between practices. My sessions are $230 for 50 minutes, and I direct bill all the main insurers.

How many sessions will we need?

I don't set a number of sessions in advance. We review how it's going along the way, and you decide together when you've got what you came for.

Can we meet online if we don't live near Mississauga?

Yes, if you live in Ontario. I offer online sessions to couples anywhere in Ontario at the same fee, and both partners join together from the same space.

Is it too early or too late to see a couples therapist?

Couples who come before a pattern has had years to set usually find that therapy moves faster. Couples who have been stuck for years are welcome too, and some of the couples I see were married for years before they called.

Do you see couples who aren't married?

Yes. Therapy is for partners at any stage. My pages describe couples who are engaged, newly married, or married for years, and I also offer LGBTQ+ couples therapy.

Take the Next Step With a Counsellor Who Specializes in Couples

If you want to strengthen your relationship, or you and your partner feel further apart than you want to be, a conversation is a good place to start. I offer a free 15-minute consultation where you can ask anything you like before you decide, and then you can book when you're ready. Whatever challenges you face, I can help you move forward at a pace that suits you both.

You may also find these pages helpful: Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples and more about me.

Book your free 15-minute consultation