Couples counselling with a Gottman-informed, structured approach, offered in person in Edmonton and St. Albert and virtually across Alberta. Care provided by clinicians including registered psychologists regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists, working to recognized professional standards. Sessions available in person and online. Fit-focused and collaborative.

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You Might Be Wondering Whether Gottman Couples Therapy Is Right for You

You may not be sure whether things have reached the point where couples counselling makes sense. Maybe the same disagreement keeps circling back, and you keep telling yourself it is not serious enough to bring to a therapist. Many people sit with that question for a long time before reaching out.

You might recognize some of this. Talking about the small stuff turns tense before either of you knows why. You find yourselves living more like roommates than partners. One of you brings something up, the other goes quiet, and nothing really gets resolved.

These patterns are common when a relationship is under strain. They do not mean the relationship is broken beyond repair, and they do not mean you have failed at something other people find easy. They usually mean two people are stuck in a cycle that is hard to shift from the inside.

If you are still deciding whether this kind of support fits your situation, you may find it helpful to keep reading and see what couples counselling here actually involves.

Who We Help

Couples counselling with a Gottman-informed approach may be a good fit if you and your partner:

• keep having the same argument without reaching a resolution
• want a more structured, practical way to talk through difficult topics
• feel more distant than you used to and want to reconnect
• are working through a change in trust after a rupture or a stressful period
• are adjusting together to parenting, work stress, finances, or another life transition
• want a neutral space to decide what you both need going forward

This service may not be the right fit in some situations, and there are better places to start:

• If anyone is in immediate danger or crisis, the crisis resources below are the right first step, not a booked appointment.
• If you need a custody evaluation, a court report, or another legal or forensic assessment, that is outside this therapy service. Psychological assessments are a separate service.
• If one partner does not feel safe participating, individual support may be a safer place to begin.

Crisis Guidance

Couples counselling is a routine appointment, not an emergency service. If you or someone else needs urgent help right now, please use one of the resources below instead of waiting for a session.

• Call 911 if anyone is in immediate danger.
• Alberta Mental Health Help Line: 1-877-303-2642 (24/7).
• Family Violence Info Line (Alberta): 310-1818 (24/7, toll-free) if the situation involves fear for your safety at home.
• Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741.

Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service.

What This Service Is

Gottman couples counselling is a talking-based service where you and your partner meet with a therapist to look at how you relate, communicate, and handle conflict together. A Gottman-informed approach tends to be structured and practical, with attention to the patterns that come up in the relationship rather than blame toward either person. The pace is set by you, not by the therapist.

It helps to be clear about what this service is not. It is not a legal process, a custody evaluation, or a forensic assessment. It is not crisis care. It does not include psychological assessment or testing, which are offered separately. Nothing on this page is a diagnosis or personal advice about your specific relationship.

Relationship strain does not have to be labelled as a disorder to be worth attention. The ICD-11 classification recognizes relationship distress with a spouse or partner as a factor that can influence a person's health or their contact with health services, rather than a mental illness in itself (World Health Organization [WHO], 2025). We use that kind of neutral language on purpose.

What you share in sessions is kept private within clear ethical and legal limits, and the full details are explained in the confidentiality section below.

Signs Relationship Distress May Be Affecting You

People notice relationship strain in different ways. You do not need to have all of these experiences, and having some of them does not point to any single cause. You may recognize patterns such as:

• the same conflict repeating without ever feeling settled
• conversations that turn tense faster than they used to
• feeling unheard or misunderstood, even about small things
• growing distance, or feeling more like roommates than partners
• walking on eggshells to avoid setting off an argument
• a change in trust after a difficult event or a long stretch of stress
• differences in needs or expectations that keep going unspoken
• less closeness, warmth, or day-to-day connection
• disagreements about parenting, money, or time that never quite resolve

These are common reactions to a relationship under pressure, not signs that something is permanently wrong with either of you. Many couples find that a structured, supportive space helps them understand the cycle and decide what they want to do next.

How Treatment Works Here

Getting started is meant to be straightforward. The process usually looks like this:

• Find your therapist. You can use the Match with a therapist tool, browse profiles on Our Therapists, or call the admin team at 780-904-4880 for guidance.
• Book your first session. The first appointment covers consent and confidentiality, what brings you in now, and a discussion of your goals. It is a starting point for understanding fit and scope.
• Build your plan together. You and your therapist shape the direction of the work. Your voices guide what you focus on.
• Continue with ongoing sessions. Follow-up sessions are typically weekly or bi-weekly and can be adjusted as your needs change. Each session runs 50 minutes.
• Review progress together. Your therapist checks in on how things are going, and the plan can change as you go.

There is no fixed number of sessions. The work is collaborative, and what happens is shaped with you at every stage. You can read more about the process on the Getting Started with Therapy page.

Evidence and Approaches

This page focuses on the approach many people are searching for when they look for Gottman couples counselling. The specific methods a therapist draws on depend on their training, your goals, and what fits your situation. We describe the evidence honestly, including where it is thin.

Gottman-informed structured couples counselling

What it helps with: A structured, practical focus on communication, recurring conflict patterns, trust, connection, and shared goals within the relationship.

Evidence summary: Couples counselling of this kind may offer a structured space to slow down conflict and look at patterns together, and a Gottman-informed format may appeal to couples who want more structure. Published research examining Gottman Couple Therapy exists, including a primary study on marital adjustment and intimacy (Davoodvandi et al., 2018). The materials available for this page do not include enough methodological detail to summarize how effective the approach is, so we describe it cautiously rather than claiming specific outcomes.

Limitations: The available evidence here is limited to a single, non-Canadian primary study without systematic-review confirmation, so it cannot support general effectiveness claims. Individual results vary from couple to couple, and fit with your therapist matters.

What Results to Expect

Change in a relationship is rarely a straight line. Some weeks feel like progress, and others feel harder, and that is a normal part of the work.

Some people find relief from just 2-3 sessions, while others prefer a longer process to understand their patterns more fully. There is no set number that is right for everyone, and outcomes vary.

Several things can shape how the work goes, including what you are each hoping for, the pressures you are living with, and how well the approach fits you both. No therapy can guarantee an outcome. If the therapist or the approach does not feel right, changing to a different clinician or a different way of working is always an option.

Confidentiality and Privacy

What you share in couples counselling is confidential. Your therapist will explain how this works, how records are handled, and the limits to confidentiality, before you share anything you are not ready to share.

Your care is provided under recognized professional and legal frameworks. Clinicians who are psychologists are regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP), and practice is guided by the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) Code of Ethics. Your personal and health information is protected under Alberta's Health Information Act (HIA) and Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).

There are a few situations where a therapist may be required by law or ethics to disclose information, including:

• a risk of serious harm to you or to someone else
• suspected abuse or neglect of a child, which carries a mandatory reporting duty under Alberta law
• a court order

Your therapist will go over these limits clearly in the first session. You are welcome to ask questions about privacy before you decide what to talk about.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do we have to go into detail about everything that has gone wrong?

No. You set the pace, and you do not have to recount every difficult moment to benefit from counselling. Much of the work can focus on the patterns you notice now, such as how conversations tend to unfold, rather than a detailed replay of the past. You share what you are ready to share, when you are ready.

Is what we share kept private?

Yes, within clear ethical and legal limits. Your information is handled under the professional standards and Alberta legislation described in the confidentiality section above. There are a few legally required exceptions, such as a risk of serious harm, suspected child abuse or neglect, or a court order, and your therapist will explain these before you begin.

How many sessions will we need?

There is no fixed answer. Some couples come for short-term, focused support around a specific issue, while others prefer a longer process. Your therapist reviews progress with you regularly, and you can adjust as you go.

What if the therapist is not the right fit?

Fit matters a great deal in couples work, and it is completely reasonable to want a different clinician. The admin team can help you find someone who may suit you and your partner better. New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

Can we attend sessions online?

Yes. Virtual appointments are available across Alberta alongside in-person sessions in Edmonton and St. Albert. The same confidentiality standards apply to online sessions.

Do both partners need to attend every session?

Couples sessions are usually designed for both partners, because the work looks at the relationship pattern rather than one person's experience alone. If an individual session is needed at some point, that can be discussed with your therapist.

Is a Gottman-informed approach different from general couples counselling?

It can be. Some couples want an open-ended space to talk things through, while others prefer a more structured format, which is what draws many people to a Gottman-informed approach. The specific tools used depend on the therapist's training, your goals, and what fits your situation, and availability depends on fit, scope, and current openings.

Meet Your Clinicians

Wholesome Psychology includes clinicians across several credential types: Registered Psychologists, Registered Provisional Psychologists, Registered Social Workers, Certified Canadian Counsellors, Mental Health Therapists, and Student Therapists. All psychologists are registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists. Certified Canadian Counsellors (CCCs) are regulated by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), and Registered Social Workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW). Registered Provisional Psychologists practise under the supervision of a senior registered psychologist.

Some of our clinicians work with couples and relationship concerns. The right match depends on fit, scope of practice, and current openings, and the admin team can help you sort through the options. You can review profiles on Our Therapists, use the Match with a therapist tool, or call 780-904-4880 for guidance.

Take the Next Step

If you are looking for a structured, collaborative place to work on your relationship, you can begin whenever you feel ready. Wholesome Psychology offers couples counselling in person in Edmonton and St. Albert and virtually across Alberta.

• Book a session online
• Match with a therapist
• Call 780-904-4880
• Email info@wholesomepsychology.ca
• Learn more on the Getting Started with Therapy page, or read about our couples counselling more broadly

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

Starting the conversation is enough.

References

• World Health Organization. (2025). International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11) for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics: QE51 Problem associated with interactions with spouse or partner.
• Davoodvandi, M., Navabi Nejad, S., & Farzad, V. (2018). Examining the effectiveness of Gottman couple therapy on improving marital adjustment and couples' intimacy. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry, 13(2).
• College of Alberta Psychologists. (2023). Standards of Practice. https://www.cap.ab.ca/
• Canadian Psychological Association. (2017). Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists (4th ed.). https://cpa.ca/