What is relationship counselling?
Guided by experienced therapists, couples undertake a journey toward greater self-awareness and mutual understanding. It is crucial for understanding, resolving conflicts, and sustaining a healthy relationship, particularly during difficult times. Relationship Counselling emphasizes enhanced communication skills, allowing couples to deepen their bond and build a strong foundation of trust.
Relationship
Counselling Pricing
Relationship counselling in Waterloo and Listowel provides pathways to improve communication, resolve conflicts constructively, enhance intimacy, foster understanding and empathy, renew commitment, and build resilience against life’s challenges. The success of couples counselling relies on both partners’ willingness to engage and invest in their relationship.
$165+
Per clinical hour
How Relationship counselling can help?
It allows couples to heal, grow, and thrive, creating a solid foundation for a lifetime of love, connection, and happiness. It is a valuable resource for couples facing the natural ups and downs of a partnership. It offers support when:
Communication becomes difficult, leading to frustration and tension from feeling misunderstood or unable to express thoughts and feelings.
Unresolved conflicts persist, threatening to deepen resentment and drive a wedge between partners.
Intimacy diminishes, whether physically or emotionally, indicating a need to reconnect and rekindle the relationship's spark.
Trust is compromised by betrayal or other breaches, shaking the relationship's foundation and fostering insecurity.
Life transitions such as marriage, parenthood, or career changes challenge the relationship's dynamics, requiring adjustments.
Past traumas or issues influence the present, hindering a healthy and intimate connection.
This form of mental health therapy provides couples with the tools and guidance needed to navigate challenges with care and understanding.
Misconceptions about Relationship Counselling
A common belief is that counselling should only be sought when separation or divorce is looming. But Relationship Counselling is valuable for navigating any size or kind of conflict or even maintaining healthy communication. Sometimes we need help or an outside perspective. There is nothing to be ashamed of when coming to or considering relationship counselling.
Another common myth is that counselling will automatically fix all relationship issues. While it provides the tools and guidance for improvement, the real change comes from the commitment and effort of both partners. Sometimes those seeking counselling fear judgment or bias from the counselor. This is not the case. Professional therapists are trained to provide a neutral, supportive environment, focusing on the well-being of the relationship without taking sides.
In reality, relationship counselling is a proactive approach that strengthens connection, even in healthy relationships.
Meet Our Expert Therapists
Journey with our team at Stone Silo to navigate relationship complexities, build a strong and supportive partnership that can withstand life’s challenges.
Currently, Mark O’Boyle, RP MDiv and Joy Borutskie, MA RP (Qualifying), are our therapists who specialize in working with couples through couples counselling in Waterloo and Listowel and other supportive therapies.
Elliot Fraser
Registered Psychotherapist, Master of Arts - He/Him
Are you feeling worried about the future? Does stress or anxiety feel overwhelming and inescapable? Do you feel lost or unsure of who you are? Are you struggling to move forward from the past? You don’t have to face these challenges alone—I am here to help. My goal is to provide a safe, non-judgmental space where you can be fully seen, heard, and explore new possibilities for your life.
Together, we can learn to accept ourselves more fully, regain control where we can, and navigate life’s uncertainties with greater adaptability. I offer tools to help you reconnect with yourself, process the past, build resilience, stay present, and find emotional relief where needed.
Taking the first step can be the hardest, but it’s also one of the most worthwhile. Book a free 15-minute consultation so we can meet and create a treatment plan that fits your needs. Whatever is on your mind, no concern is too big or too small to bring to therapy.
Elliot Fraser (6 reviews)
Joy Borutskie
Registered Psychotherapist(Qualifying) - She/Her
Joy has been in the social services and counselling field for over five years. She has recently become a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) and enjoys seeing clients of all ages 8 and up. With children (and with adults that find it of interest), Joy loves to incorporate creative and expressive art into therapy, using various art mediums, toys and sand play to facilitate a client’s self-expression. With adults, Joy’s warm and compassionate approach provides a safe and therapeutic environment for a client’s exploration and laying out of the difficulties they face and hope to find solutions for and/or cope with.
Joy Writes
“Let me tell you about Joy. As lovely as my name is, it can also be a difficult one to live up to. Because, if joy (as I understand it anyway), is contentment – like, the down-to-your-very-core knowing ‘it is well with my soul’ - no matter what’s happening in my past or present circumstances - then yeah, … even my name mocks me at times. Life is hard – and it’s not easy to feel ‘joyful’ when you’re in the throes of the storms and stuff of regular life. Sometimes just surviving is a major accomplishment let alone feeling any sense of happiness or contentment. None of us can control all the variables of life or be totally prepared for the things we face. But we can explore where the cracks are forming in the foundation of our well-being– where the roots of ourselves are dry and neglected – and that - can be tended to. It would be an honour to sit with you and hear your story. We can sort through the pieces together, at your pace, and reassemble them to best represent what your new ‘joy’ could look like now (despite your circumstance, struggle, or loss). Whatever you are wrestling with, reaching out and talking about it is a really healthy step – not keeping your fears, anger, pain, or needs secret any longer is a strong step closer to finding the treasure of your own deep down in your soul, contentment.”
Joy Borutskie (23 reviews)
Mark O'Boyle
Registered Psychotherapist, Master of Divinity - He/Him
My specialties: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), mindfulness practices, Family Systems theory, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
Age Group: 12+ year olds
Serving: Listowel
For the past six years, Mark has been extending his compassionate hand to those seeking solace and guidance on their journey. With an innate warmth and approachability, Mark believes in paving the way for therapy with a gentle and authentic touch, making the first steps feel like a natural progression.
In his practice, Mark seamlessly weaves together a variety of therapeutic techniques, crafting an approach tailored to the unique needs of each individual. Drawing from a diverse range of methods including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), mindfulness practices, Family Systems theory, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, and an array of others, he ensures that clients have a versatile toolkit to navigate their challenges.
Mark's journey has led him through the complexities of anger management and into the depths of the Partner Assault Response (PAR) program, enriching him with invaluable experience. With genuine empathy and unwavering dedication, he stands ready to support clients as they uncover their inner resilience and stride forward with newfound strength and grace.
Mark O’Boyle (38 reviews)
Rachel Urquhart
Master of Divinity, Master of Arts - Spiritual Care & Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) - She/Her
I am deeply passionate about supporting individuals on their unique spiritual and faith journeys. I understand that these paths can be deeply life-giving for some, while others may find them challenging or even painful. With compassion and respect for each person’s experience, I offer therapeutic support to those who are seeking, questioning, processing, or grieving changes in their lives.
In my practice, I provide a safe and empathetic space to explore and navigate life’s meaningful transitions. Whether you’re facing spiritual upheaval, wrestling with faith-based conflicts, or moving through a major life change, I am here to walk alongside you as you process, heal, and grow.
My approach is integrative and grounded in evidence-based modalities, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Narrative Therapy, and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT). I am also trained in Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), both of which support deeper exploration of the inner parts that shape our thoughts, emotions, and behaviours.
I believe healing begins with understanding, compassion, and connection—especially during seasons of upheaval. Though these moments can be incredibly difficult, they also hold space for clarity, growth, and renewal. My role is to support you through these transitions with warmth, resilience, and the reminder that healing is always possible.
Whether you're looking to rediscover your spiritual path or simply need space to process life’s changes, I’m here to offer a supportive and compassionate environment where you can reflect, explore, and heal.
Rachel Urquart (0 reviews)
Raquel (Jefferies) Sutherland
Master Social Worker, Registered Social Worker - She/Her
My specialties: Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Attachment and Attunement, Somatic Experiencing, and Internal Family Systems
Age Group: 4+ year olds
Serving: Waterloo
Making Moments Matter
If you've come across my biography, it's possible that the forces of the universe and the law of attraction are in motion. I genuinely believe, and my experiences have shown me, that there are moments in our lives when we are destined to cross paths and connect with a particular individual. For over a decade, I've had the privilege of being someone who establishes a unique counselling relationship right from day one. This foundation is built on trust, safety, and attunement, setting the stage for a collaborative healing journey. Sometimes we just need someone who “just gets it”.
By profession, I am a Registered Social Worker, and my therapeutic approach draws from my extensive training and certifications in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Attachment and Attunement, and knowledge and understandings in Somatic Experiencing and Internal Family Systems. One size does not fit all in therapy too. As you'll discover, I am passionate about understanding what works best for you and how, together, we can explore and achieve your therapeutic goals.
What I hope I am relaying to you in this mini bio, is that there is hope, there is someone for you (whether it be me, or another helpful soul) who actually works in this profession because I care, because I have chosen to understand and specialize in making your life and healing moments matter.
Raquel (Jefferies) Sutherland (54 reviews)
Sarah Amos
Master Social Worker, Registered Social Worker
My specialties: Performance, school, work, and family/relationship issues. Managing anxiety and depression. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Navigating life changes. Self-esteem and insecurities. OCD and ADHD. Impulse control and addictive behaviours.
Age Group: 18+ year olds
Sarah Amos (71 reviews)
We Serve Waterloo and Listowel
We’re proud to serve the communities of Waterloo and Listowel, providing compassionate mental health care to individuals of all ages.
Conveniently located in Waterloo and Listowel, our welcoming office offers a safe and comfortable space to receive the support you need to thrive.
Relationship counselling is a powerful way to help couples through tough times and strengthen their bond. If you’re struggling with communication, trust, distance, life changes, or past issues, there is help available. Mental health therapy is about learning, growing, and finding ways to connect more deeply with your partner.
