Confidential counselling to look at how you rely on a close relationship, at a pace you set, without needing a label first. Psychologists registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP). A team that also includes Registered Social Workers regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), Canadian Certified Counsellors (CCCs) certified by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), Mental Health Therapists, and supervised Student Therapists. In-person sessions in Edmonton and St. Albert. Virtual sessions for people located in Alberta.

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You Might Be Wondering Whether Relationship Dependence Counselling Is Right for You

You may not be sure whether how much you lean on your relationship is a real concern or just what caring about someone looks like. Nothing dramatic has happened. You still go to work and see people. So it can feel hard to justify talking to a counsellor about something you are not even sure has a name. Maybe some of this sounds familiar.

Your mood for the whole day seems to hinge on how quickly a message comes back. You agree to plans you did not want because saying no feels riskier than it should. Or you notice that when your partner is busy, you are not quite sure what you would choose to do with an evening on your own. Patterns like these can develop in many different circumstances: a relationship that has felt uncertain, a big life change, a breakup, or earlier experiences where closeness felt easy to lose. Holding on more tightly is a very human way of trying to protect a connection that matters.

It is not a character flaw, and it does not mean something is permanently wrong with you. If you are trying to work out whether talking with someone could help, the sections below describe what this kind of counselling involves, who it may suit, and what it costs. You can read at your own pace and take from it whatever feels useful.

Who This Counselling May Help

This service may be a good fit if you:

• often look to a partner, or another close person, for reassurance before you can feel settled
• find it hard to make decisions, even small ones, without someone else's input
• struggle to name your own needs or set boundaries without feeling guilty
• have drifted away from friends, interests, or routines that used to matter to you
• keep ending up in the same communication or conflict patterns
• are adjusting after a breakup, separation, or another relationship change (our page on divorce or separation counselling covers this in more depth)
• want to understand how you relate to family or friends, not only to a romantic partner

You can come on your own. A partner does not need to attend for you to talk about a relationship in individual counselling.

If you are reading this because you are worried about someone close to you, you are welcome to share this page with them. Adults make their own decisions about counselling, so booking is up to them. You can also look for support for yourself if their situation is weighing on you.

This service may not be the right fit if:

• You are in crisis or in immediate danger. The crisis resources below are the right first step.
• You need forensic or legal support, such as court reports, parenting evaluations, or documentation for legal proceedings. These needs are outside this counselling service. Psychological assessments are a separate service.
• You are concerned about your own controlling or harmful behaviour toward a partner. Please contact the admin team so they can talk with you about whether the clinic is the right place or whether a specialized program elsewhere would suit you better.
• You are looking for joint sessions in a relationship where there are concerns about safety, control, or coercion. In that situation, individual support and safety-focused resources may be more appropriate than joint sessions.

If You Need Help Right Now

Counselling at our clinic is booked in advance and cannot respond to an emergency. If you or someone else is at immediate risk, please contact one of these services instead:

• 911 for immediate danger, or go to the nearest emergency department
• Alberta Mental Health Help Line: 1-877-303-2642 (24/7)
• Family Violence Info Line (Alberta): 310-1818 (24/7, toll-free)
• 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline: call or text 9-8-8 (24/7)

Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service.

What Relationship Dependence Counselling Is, and What It Is Not

"Relationship dependence" is an everyday phrase, not a diagnosis. Some people use it to describe relying heavily on a close relationship for reassurance, direction, or a sense of steadiness. Counselling offers a confidential, collaborative space to look at those patterns, along with your needs, boundaries, and goals.

Sessions may focus on communication, personal values, decision-making, boundaries, and ways of relating that fit better with what you want. You do not have to accept a label. You do not have to make any particular decision about your relationship either. You set the pace, and your therapist will not push you to talk about anything before you are ready.

This counselling service is not:

• a diagnosis or a psychological assessment (psychological assessments are a separate service)
• a legal service or an investigative process, and therapists do not decide who is "right" in a relationship
• crisis intervention or emergency care
• medical care, and it does not include prescribing medication

Every clinician works within the limits of their training and their regulated scope of practice. If something you raise falls outside what counselling here can offer, your therapist will tell you and may suggest other options. What you share is confidential, with some legal limits that your clinician explains in your first session. The confidentiality section below covers this in more detail.

Signs Relationship Dependence May Be Affecting You

These are experiences people describe, not a checklist. You might notice:

• feeling uneasy until you get reassurance, then needing it again soon after
• second-guessing your own choices unless someone else weighs in
• saying yes when you mean no, then feeling drained or resentful
• losing track of your own preferences, interests, or plans
• seeing less of friends or family than you would like
• having the same argument again and again without it ever feeling settled
• feeling physically on edge, such as restless sleep or a tight stomach, while waiting for a reply or after a disagreement
• finding a breakup or separation especially disorienting, as if you lost your bearings along with the relationship
• wondering what a relationship with room for both people's needs would actually feel like

Noticing some of these does not mean something is permanently wrong with you. They are common ways people respond when a connection feels both important and uncertain. Counselling may help provide a structured space to explore them, at a pace that works for you.

How Counselling Works Here

• Find your therapist. You can use the Match with a Therapist tool, browse the profiles on Our Therapists, or call the admin team at 780-904-4880 for help choosing.
• Book your first session. You can book online or by phone. In the first session, your therapist explains confidentiality and its limits, reviews consent with you, and asks what you hope to get from counselling. You decide how much to share.
• Build your plan together. You and your therapist agree on priorities and an approach that suits your goals and preferences. The plan is shared, and you can raise questions about it at any point.
• Ongoing sessions. Sessions are 50 minutes, usually weekly or every two weeks. The frequency can change as your needs or schedule change.
• Progress check-ins. Your therapist reviews with you, regularly, what is helping and what is not. The plan adapts as your understanding develops.

There is no fixed number of sessions. Counselling is collaborative, and your view of what is useful matters at every stage. Our Getting Started with Therapy page walks through these steps in more detail.

Evidence and Approaches

The sources reviewed for this page do not include outcome studies on counselling for "relationship dependence" as a specific concern. For that reason, this section does not claim that any particular method works for it. Instead, it describes the formats of support available and is clear about what the reviewed evidence does and does not show. A therapist may also discuss approaches that fit your goals and preferences.

Individual Counselling

What it helps with: Individual counselling may help you explore reassurance-seeking, boundaries, decision-making, and recurring relationship patterns in a space focused on your own goals.

Evidence summary: The Canadian Psychological Association publishes a public fact sheet on relationship distress as an area where psychology may help (Canadian Psychological Association [CPA], 2021). The sources reviewed for this page do not include outcome studies of individual counselling for relationship dependence, so no effectiveness claim is made here.

Limitations: Without research specific to this concern, it is not possible to say how much individual counselling helps or for whom. Experiences and responses vary from person to person.

Couples Counselling (A Separate Service)

What it helps with: When both partners want to take part, couples counselling may give them a shared space to look at communication and conflict patterns together.

Evidence summary: The CPA's fact sheet treats distress within relationships as a concern psychologists can address (CPA, 2021). This page does not report effectiveness findings for any specific couples approach.

Limitations: Joint sessions are not appropriate in every relationship. If there are concerns about safety, control, or coercion, individual support and safety-focused resources may be more appropriate than joint sessions.

If you and a partner are both interested in working together, our pages on couples counselling, Emotionally Focused Therapy, marriage and relationship concerns, and communication and negotiation describe those services separately.

What Results to Expect

Change in relationship patterns rarely happens in a straight line. You may notice a shift, then find an old habit returning during a stressful week. That is a common part of the process. It does not mean counselling has failed.

Some people come for a small number of sessions to think through a specific question or decision. Others prefer longer-term work. Outcomes vary, and no form of counselling can guarantee a particular result, including what happens in a relationship.

Several things can influence how counselling goes:

• the nature of your experiences and how long these patterns have been in place
• what is happening in your life and relationship right now, including stress and safety
• the fit between you and your therapist
• how well the approach matches your goals

Fit matters. If a therapist or approach does not feel right, you can say so. Changing to a different therapist or approach is always an option.

Confidentiality and Privacy

What you share in counselling is confidential. Psychologists at Wholesome Psychology are regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) and follow the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists. Registered Social Workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), and other clinicians follow the standards of their own professional bodies.

Two Alberta privacy laws are relevant. The Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) generally governs how private clinics collect, use, store, and disclose personal information. The Health Information Act (HIA) applies to health information held by health custodians, such as Alberta Health Services, and to clinicians working for or under contract with those custodians.

There are a few legal exceptions where information may need to be shared without your consent:

• a risk of serious harm to yourself or someone else
• suspected abuse or neglect of a child, which must be reported under Alberta law
• a court order, subpoena, or other legal requirement

Your clinician will explain these limits clearly during your first session. If disclosure is ever required, only the information relevant to that requirement is shared. You are welcome to ask questions about privacy before you share anything personal, including how virtual sessions are handled and who can see your records.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to go into detail about my relationship or my past?

No. You decide what to share and when. You can start with what is happening now, such as a recurring argument or a decision you feel stuck on, and only talk about the past if it seems useful to you. Your therapist will not ask you to describe anything in detail before you are ready.

Is what I share kept private?

Yes, with some legal limits. Counselling is confidential under professional standards and Alberta privacy law, including PIPA and, in some settings, the HIA. Exceptions include a serious risk of harm, suspected abuse or neglect of a child, and court orders. Your therapist goes through these in your first session, and the confidentiality section above has more detail.

How many sessions will I need?

There is no set number. Some people come for a few sessions to work through one question, while others choose longer-term counselling. You and your therapist review progress regularly and decide together whether to continue, change focus, or pause.

What if the therapist is not the right fit?

That happens, and it is worth saying out loud. Feeling comfortable with your therapist matters. You can tell your therapist directly, or contact the admin team at 780-904-4880 to ask about seeing a different clinician. New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

Can I have sessions online?

Yes. Virtual counselling is available for people located anywhere in Alberta, and the same confidentiality standards apply. If you share a home with a partner and privacy is hard to find, you can talk with the admin team about session timing or an in-person option.

Is relationship dependence a diagnosis?

No. It is an everyday phrase people use to describe a pattern in their relationships. This counselling service does not diagnose, and your therapist will not assume a label. Psychological assessments are a separate service if you are looking for one for another reason.

Will counselling tell me whether to stay or leave?

No. Counselling is not designed to make that decision for you. A therapist can help you think through your values, needs, circumstances, and options, at your own pace and without judgment.

What if I do not feel safe in my relationship right now?

If you are in immediate danger, call 911. The Family Violence Info Line (Alberta) is available 24/7 at 310-1818. When there are concerns about safety, control, or coercion, individual support and safety-focused resources may be more appropriate than joint sessions. Our pages on family violence counselling and emotional abuse counselling describe related support.

Meet Your Clinicians

Our team includes Registered Psychologists, Registered Provisional Psychologists, Registered Social Workers, Canadian Certified Counsellors, Mental Health Therapists, and Student Therapists. All psychologists are registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists. Registered Provisional Psychologists practise under the supervision of a senior registered psychologist. Student Therapists are master's-level practicum students working under supervision as part of their training.

Each profile on Our Therapists describes that clinician's areas of focus and approach, so you can look for someone whose experience includes relationship concerns. The Match with a Therapist tool can help narrow the options, and the admin team at 780-904-4880 can also offer guidance.

Children and Youth

Worries about relationships are not limited to adults. Young people can also find themselves leaning heavily on a friendship or an early dating relationship, or feeling unsettled by changes in the relationships around them.

Wholesome Psychology offers counselling for children and youth, including therapy for younger teens. Therapists who work with younger clients use approaches suited to the young person's age and development. Where it helps, they may also work with parents or caregivers to support the young person at home. How confidentiality applies is explained at the start.

If You Would Like to Take a Next Step

If you would like to learn more or ask a question before deciding anything, you can:

• Book a session online
• Use the Match with a Therapist tool
• Call 780-904-4880
• Email info@wholesomepsychology.ca
• Read Getting Started with Therapy to see what the first steps involve

Starting the conversation is enough.

New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

References

• Canadian Psychological Association. (2021). "Psychology Works" fact sheet: Relationship distress.