Relationship Coaching 

Healthy relationships bring us joy and make us more resillient. They are a source of safety and support, and help us be a version of ourselves that we like and want to be. Sometimes relationships fail to achieve this, not through any ill-intent, but purely through a lack of relationship and communication skills. Fortunately, these skills can be learned.

My expertise lies in teaching people how to build and foster collaborative relationships – ones that are based in partnership, instead of competition. This is why I refer to this service as “coaching” rather than “counselling”. It is always better to get coaching before poor practice causes harm, but in cases where relationship issues stem primarily from poor or mismatched communication and conflict resolution skills, this kind of coaching can turn things around even when they may seem hopeless.

I am also skilled at listening to both sides of a disagreement and acting as "translator" in mediated conversations to help you hear and understand each other better.

In my relationship coaching work I use a combination of joint and individual sessions, and focus on the following: 

• Identifying and correcting harmful communication patterns.
• Teaching strategies to manage conflict collaboratively and constructively.
• Mediating difficult discussions.
• Helping people figure out what agreements work for them.
• Helping people contract around their relationship practices and agreements.
• Individual and joint skills building (communication, emotional regulation strategies, etc.).
• Addressing past trauma that is impacting the relationship.

Relationship Skills Workshop

If you would like to improve your communication and conflict management skills, and you are interested in an alternative to counselling, consider attending my Relationship Skills Workshop. This workshop can be attended individually or with someone(s) that you want to build a stronger relationship with. It will teach you many of the skills I teach in relationship coaching sessions. 

You will not need to discuss anything private in the class, and you will get exercises and questions to do by yourself or with the other(s) to help you implement what you have learned and get to know yourself and one another better. 

Open Relationships

I am experienced in working with people in non-monogamous relationships. From swinging to polyamory to relationship anarchy, I have a thorough understanding of the different paradigms, value sets, and challenges related to different relationship structures. I do not dictate what any couple "should" do, I work with you to help you achieve the goals that are important to you. 

I offer my clients support and guidance through relationship transitions, such as opening a monogamous relationship or shifting from a sexually open (but emotionally exclusive) relationship to polyamory. I also offer support for challenges specific to open relationships such as difficulties with accepting a metamour, navigating misunderstandings that led to broken trust, dealing with societal judgement, mismatched preferred relationship structures, and the unique challenges of break-ups and bereavement when you have multiple partners. 

Personal agency and self-determination are core values in my work. My practice is inclusive
and affirming of those who identify as or practice
LGBTQIA+, Neurodivergent, CNM/Polyamory/Swingers, Kinksters, & Sex Workers.