You’re functioning — going to work, answering texts, showing up where you’re supposed to — but something underneath isn’t right. Maybe it’s been like this for a while.
Couples Counselling in Vancouver
Couples Therapy That Works.
Helping partners break the cycle of conflict and find each other again — at my East Vancouver office or online across BC.
Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) · East Vancouver office · Sessions $195 / 50 min
Does This Sound Familiar?
- The same argument keeps happening, just with different details.
- You’re more like roommates than partners.
- One of you wants to talk; the other shuts down.
- Trust has been broken and you don’t know if it can be rebuilt.
- You love each other, but something feels stuck.
How I Work With Couples
My approach is informed by Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) — one of the most well-researched models in couples work. In plain terms: we don’t just talk about communication skills. We listen for the emotional weight beneath the words.
Most couples I see are caught in a cycle. One partner pushes for connection; the other pulls away to stay safe. The more one pushes, the more the other retreats — and around it goes. The argument on the surface (the dishes, the in-laws, the phone, the sex) is rarely the real argument. Underneath are unmet needs and old hurts that neither partner quite knows how to name.
My job is to help you slow this cycle down enough to see it clearly. Once you can recognize the cycle as something happening to both of you — rather than something one of you is doing to the other — the dynamic starts to shift. Slowly you move from adversaries back to teammates.
Safety first
Real conversations only happen when both partners feel safe. Early sessions focus on creating that safety, so that when the challenging topics arise, the groundwork has been laid.
Rebuilding trust
Trust isn’t restored in one grand gesture. It’s rebuilt in small moments of turning toward each other — in session, and increasingly between sessions, as the patterns shift at home.
Common Challenges We Address
Many couples find themselves stuck in similar places. We often work through:
- Recurring conflict without repair or resolution
- Emotional disconnect and parallel lives
- Trust and betrayal following infidelity or secrecy
- Intimacy issues and differences in desire
- Life transitions such as parenthood or career changes
- Discernment counselling when deciding how the relationship should proceed
What to Expect in Therapy
Early sessions focus on understanding your relationship history and the specific pattern you’re caught in. I act as a neutral guide, slowing the conversation down so both partners feel seen and heard. The goal isn’t to fix one partner — it’s to strengthen the relationship so it can handle stress, conflict, and change more effectively over time.
The practical details:
- Both partners, every session. I prefer to work with both of you in the room so we’re all building from the same shared understanding.
- 50 or 80 minutes. Standard sessions are 50 minutes. 80-minute sessions are available when there’s a lot of ground to cover, or for couples doing deeper work on a specific rupture.
- Weekly to start. Momentum matters early on. Most couples move to biweekly once the work is established.
- In-person or virtual. I prefer to work in-person — I find it easier to track what’s happening between two people in the same room — but virtual sessions are available across BC when that’s not practical.
Not sure if therapy is right for your relationship?
The free 20-minute consultation is a low-pressure way to find out.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if my partner is hesitant or doesn't want to come?
This is one of the most common things I hear, and it’s almost never a dealbreaker. Often the partner who reaches out first is carrying more of the worry about the relationship, and the other partner is either skeptical of therapy or quietly afraid of what it might surface. Both of those are workable. I’m happy to do the free 20-minute consultation with just you, and we can talk about how to invite your partner in without it feeling like an ambush. If they’re willing to try one session — just one — that’s usually enough for them to decide for themselves.
We're already talking about separating. Is it too late?
Not necessarily, but the work looks different. When a couple comes in unsure whether they want to stay together, we sometimes shift into what’s called discernment counselling — a short, structured process (usually one to five sessions) designed not to fix the relationship but to help you both get clarity on which direction to take. There’s no pressure either way. The goal is to give you the clarity to make an honest and conscious decision, one way or the other.
Will you take sides?
No. My job is to be a neutral guide — not a referee, not a judge. That said, “neutral” doesn’t mean silent. I’ll gently challenge both of you when I see patterns that aren’t serving the relationship, and I’ll push back on either partner if needed. What I won’t do is decide who’s right.
Can couples therapy work after an affair?
Yes, though it’s some of the harder work we do together. Rebuilding trust after a betrayal takes time, honesty, and a willingness from both partners — the one who was hurt needs space to feel and ask, and the one who broke the trust needs to stay present even when it’s painful. I’ve seen couples come through this stronger, and I’ve seen couples decide they can’t. Therapy can hold either outcome.
How much does couples therapy cost?
Sessions are $195 for 50 minutes. I don’t offer direct billing, but I provide receipts after each session that you can submit to your extended health plan — most plans in BC cover counselling with a Registered Clinical Counsellor, but it’s worth confirming with your insurer. The first 20-minute consultation is free.
How long does couples therapy usually take?
It depends on what you’re working on. Some couples come for a focused piece of work — a specific rupture, a transition, a recurring fight — and feel done in 8 to 12 sessions. Others stay longer, especially when there’s deeper history to unpack. We’ll check in regularly about whether the work is still useful. My goal, always, is to work myself out of a job.
What's the difference between couples therapy and marriage counselling?
For practical purposes, nothing. “Marriage counselling” is the older term and tends to imply a married heterosexual couple; “couples therapy” is broader and reflects how the work has evolved. I work with married couples, common-law partners, dating couples, and queer couples — the framework is the same.
Do you offer evening or weekend sessions?
I have limited evening availability but I am available on Sundays between 2pm and 6pm. Couples often need to coordinate two schedules, so I’d recommend booking the consultation early to find a time that works for both of you.
About Me
I’m Justin Morrison, a Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Vancouver. I came to this work later in life, after my own struggles taught me that the things we can’t talk about are usually the things we most need to talk about.
I work with couples and individuals from my East Vancouver office and online across BC.
Read more about me
Looking for individual therapy instead? Learn about one-on-one work →
Ready To Take The Next Step?
I offer a free 20-minute consultation by phone or video. It’s a low-pressure way to ask questions, get a feel for whether we’d work well together, and decide what feels right from there. No commitment, no pitch.