Couples therapy in Calgary: When love isn’t the problem
Couples counselling with psychologists & counsellors trained in the Gottman Method · In person in Marda Loop & online across Alberta
You care about each other. But the same arguments keep coming back, and lately it’s hard to feel like you’re on the same team. Couples therapy helps you understand what’s happening underneath, so you can start working together again.
COUPLES THERAPY AT CORE
- 01No one is here to decide who’s right. Your therapist works for the relationship
- 02Grounded in the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy
- 03In person in Marda Loop or online, with evening and weekend times
Our client care coordinator will match you with the therapist who may be the best fit for you both, and reply by text or email, whichever you prefer.
01 · Does this sound familiar?
“We keep having the same fight.”
- Small disagreements turn into the same argument, again and again
- One of you pushes to talk while the other shuts down
- You feel more like roommates or co-parents than partners
- Trust has been shaken by a betrayal, secrecy or a long stretch of distance
- Closeness and intimacy have faded, and it’s hard to talk about
- A big change, like a new baby, a move or a diagnosis, has put you out of step
None of this means your relationship is broken. Often it means you’ve both been caught in a pattern neither of you chose, and neither of you knows how to change on your own. That’s exactly what couples therapy is for. New to the idea? Start with what couples therapy is and how it works.
02 · What brings couples to us
Support for wherever your relationship is right now.
Communication & conflict
Learn why the same argument keeps repeating, and practise new ways to disagree without losing each other. Read more
Trust & repair
After a betrayal, secrecy or a painful season, rebuild safety step by step, at a pace you can both manage. Read more
Neurodivergent relationships
When ADHD, autism or different ways of processing shape how you communicate, love and argue. Learn more
Sex & intimacy
A respectful space for conversations about desire, closeness and connection that are hard to have alone. Learn more
Premarital counselling
You don’t have to be struggling to benefit. Build strong foundations and talk through differences before you marry. Learn more
Faith & relationships
For couples who want their shared faith thoughtfully included in evidence-based relationship work. Learn more
Going through a big change together? Our life transitions page covers moves, career shifts and empty nesting, and new parents may find five repairs that work after a baby helpful.
03 · Our approach
Our approach to couples therapy
Couples therapy isn’t about deciding who’s right. It’s about understanding what’s happening between you.
The Gottman Method
Built on decades of research with thousands of couples, it gives you practical tools for communication, conflict, friendship and repair. It works online too, as we explain in can the Gottman Method work online?
Emotionally Focused Therapy
EFT looks at the needs for closeness and security underneath recurring fights and distance, so you can respond to each other in ways that feel safer.
Your relationship, not a formula
We consider your history, personalities, culture, values and circumstances. There isn’t one formula for a healthy relationship, so we don’t use one.
Your goals, set together
Some couples come to reconnect, some to strengthen what’s already good, and some to work out whether to stay together. Whatever you decide, we help you get there with clarity and respect.
Curious how these approaches compare? Our post on why disconnection matters more than conflict is a good starting point.
04 · How it works
What to expect, from first email to real change.
- GET MATCHED
Tell us a little about what’s going on. Our client care coordinator suggests the therapist who may suit you both, and a complimentary 15-minute call is always available if you’d like to talk first.
- UNDERSTAND THE PATTERN
Early sessions focus on your story as a couple, what’s working, and where you get stuck. You leave with a clearer picture of the cycle you’re caught in.
- BUILD SHARED UNDERSTANDING
With your therapist’s help, you each get to be heard, and to hear what’s underneath your partner’s reactions.
- PRACTISE NEW RESPONSES
You try new ways of talking, listening and repairing, in session and at home between appointments.
- KEEP WHAT WORKS
As things settle, sessions space out. The goal is a relationship that can handle hard moments on its own.
05 · Our couples therapists
Trained to hold space for both of you.
Tasha Chapman, MARegistered Provisional Psychologist
Gottman Method, communication, neurodiverse couples & stage of life changes
Meet Tasha
Jesse Fehr, MARegistered Provisional Psychologist
Gottman Method, neurodivergence in relationships & the transition to parenthood
Meet JesseJulie Walder, MA, CCC, LMFTCanadian Certified Counsellor
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist · Gottman Method, trust & intimacy
Meet JulieMax Wood, MCRegistered Provisional Psychologist
Trust, communication, reconnection & neurodiverse couples
Meet Max
Not sure who to choose? You don’t have to. Request a match and we’ll suggest the therapist who may be the best fit for you both, or browse our full team.
06 · Common questions
What couples ask us before starting.
RELATED READING
What happens in the first couples session?
Your therapist gets to know you as a couple: how you met, what’s been working, what’s been hard, and what each of you hopes will change. Nobody is put on the spot, and you won’t be asked to share more than you’re ready to. You’ll leave with a clearer sense of the pattern you’re caught in and how therapy can help.
Is couples therapy only for relationships in crisis?
Not at all. Many couples come to strengthen a relationship that’s already good, to prepare for marriage through premarital counselling, or to get ahead of a big change like a new baby. Starting before things feel urgent often makes the work easier.
What if my partner doesn’t want to come?
You can begin on your own. Individual sessions can help you understand your part in the pattern and try new ways of responding, which often changes the relationship too. Many partners decide to join once they see therapy is a fair, supportive space.
Do you use the Gottman Method?
Yes. Several of our couples therapists are trained in the Gottman Method, and they also draw on Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). Your therapist will choose the tools that fit your relationship rather than following a fixed script.
Can couples therapy be done online?
Yes. Online couples therapy is available anywhere in Alberta, and research suggests it can work as well as meeting in person for many couples. You can join from the same room or from two locations. Read more in can the Gottman Method work online?
What if we’re not sure we want to stay together?
That’s a common reason couples come in. Your therapist won’t take sides or push you toward a particular outcome. Therapy can help you get clear on what you each want, and if separating is the right path, help you do it with as much respect and care as possible, especially if you share children.
How do we choose the right couples therapist?
Look for someone who is registered with a professional body, has specific training in couples therapy, such as the Gottman Method or EFT, and makes you both feel heard. Fit matters, which is why our client care coordinator will suggest a therapist based on your concerns, schedule and preferences.
Is couples counselling covered by insurance?
Often, yes. Many extended health plans cover sessions with registered psychologists or counsellors, including couples sessions. Plans vary, so check with your provider about which type of clinician is covered. We provide receipts for you to submit, and current rates are on our fees page.
Let’s find the right fit for you both.
Send us a short email about what’s going on in your relationship. Our client care coordinator will match you with the therapist who may be the best fit, and reply by text or email, whichever is easiest. Once you’re matched, a complimentary 15-minute call with your therapist is always an option.
New to therapy? Our Welcome Guide explains what to expect, and our fees page covers rates and insurance.
Call or text 403.488.8912 · info@corepsychology.com
Monday to Friday, 9am to 7pm · Saturday, 9am to 3pm
If you’re in crisis or don’t feel safe at home, call or text 988, call Alberta’s Family Violence Info Line at 310-1818, or call 911.