Most couples do not come to therapy because they argue — they come because the same argument keeps happening, or because something has shifted: a baby, a betrayal, a separation considered or underway, a sense of living alongside each other rather than with each other. Couples therapy at Silm Centre for Mental Health gives both partners a structured place to understand the pattern they are caught in, and to decide together what they want to build. Our couples clinicians work with relationships of many forms — including same-sex and queer couples, and non-monogamous and polyamorous relationships.
What couples therapy involves
- Sessions with both partners together (about 1.5 hours — longer than individual sessions, because there are two people’s experiences to hold)
- Attention to the pattern between you, not to which partner is “right”
- Practical work on communication and conflict, alongside the underlying questions of trust, needs, and connection
Who offers couples therapy
Registered Psychotherapist
Clinical Associate
Cost and first step
Couples sessions are generally 1.5 hours and are pro-rated at the clinician’s hourly rate ($200–$300 per hour, depending on the clinician). The first step is a free initial consultation before you commit to anything.
These services are often covered by extended health benefits plans. Coverage depends on your plan and on the registration of the clinician providing your care — or, for clinicians working under supervision, their supervisor’s registration. We can help you check what to ask your insurer.
Common questions
Do we both need to attend every session?
Generally yes — couples therapy works with the relationship, so both partners attend. Your clinician may occasionally suggest an individual session as part of the work, and will discuss that with you both first.
What if one of us is not sure we want to stay together?
That is a common and workable starting point. Therapy can help you understand what is happening and make decisions with more clarity, whatever you decide.
What if we are already separated?
Couples therapy can still help — with communication, with closure, and especially with how you work together if you share children.