Relationship Counselling
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.
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.
- 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.
Relationship Counselling 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.
Misconceptions around 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.
Meet Our Expert Therapists
Currently, Mark O’Boyle, RP MDiv and Joy Borutskie, MA RP (Qualifying), are our therapists who specializes in working with couples.
Mark O'Boyle
Registered Psychotherapist (RP), MDiv - He/Him
My specialties: Anger Management, Relationships, Depression, Anxiety, Emotional Regulation, Stress, Premarital Counseling, Grief.
Age groups I work with: I work with people 12 years old and up.
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.
Joy Borutskie
RP (Qualifying) - She/Her
My specialties: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Solution Focussed Brief Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Sandtray
Age groups I work with: 8 years old and up
Serving: Waterloo
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.”
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. Counselling is about learning, growing, and finding ways to connect more deeply with your partner.
Book An Appointment
Don’t let relationship struggles hold you back from experiencing the joy and connection you deserve. Book an appointment with us today and start a journey towards a happier, healthier partnership. Together, we’ll work towards building a supportive, connected, and resilient relationship in the face of life’s ups and downs.
