Couples counselling, marriage counselling and family therapy.
In-person and virtual · No referral needed
Every relationship hits rough patches. But when the same conflict repeats, when trust has been broken, or when you feel more like roommates than partners, it is hard to find your way out from the inside. A neutral professional can help you see the pattern and change it.
The same is true for families. When stress, change or conflict starts pulling everyone in different directions, family therapy gives you a place to work on it together rather than separately.
We work with couples at every stage: dating, engaged, married, common-law, separated, or deciding what comes next. Common reasons couples come to us include:
Communication that turns into conflict, or shuts down completely
Infidelity, betrayal and rebuilding trust
Sex and intimacy concerns
The strain of rotations, shift work and time apart
Parenting disagreements and blended-family challenges
Recovering closeness after a long period of just getting through
Life transitions such as a new baby, a move, job loss or retirement
Your therapist’s role is not to take sides or decide who’s right. It is to help you both feel heard, understand the patterns keeping you stuck, and practise different ways of being with each other.
You don’t need to be in crisis to benefit. Plenty of couples come to strengthen a relationship that is already good, or to get ahead of a change they can see coming.
Family therapy brings family members together to improve how they understand and support one another. It can help with:
Frequent conflict or tension at home
Parent–teen communication that is broken down
Separation, divorce and co-parenting
Blended families adjusting to new roles and routines
Supporting a family member through mental health difficulties, illness or loss
The ripple effects of shift work, camp rotations and time away from home
Sessions may involve the whole family, part of it, or individual members at different points, depending on what is most useful. Your therapist will explain how they handle confidentiality when working with more than one person in the room.
Relationships can be challenging when work schedules, parenting demands, and distance from extended family leave little time or energy for each other. Twelve-hour shifts, rotating days and nights, camp work, long commutes, and mismatched schedules can make connection difficult. One partner may be working while the other manages the household and children, leaving little opportunity for quality time together.
Being hours from extended family and without the support of nearby friends or reliable childcare can add another layer of stress. Over time, couples may communicate less, argue more, feel disconnected, or function more as partners managing daily life than as a connected couple.
Our therapists understand the realities of living and working in Fort McMurray and the pressure demanding schedules can put on relationships. Couples counselling can help you strengthen communication, navigate conflict, reconnect emotionally, and develop practical ways to prioritize your relationship within the demands of your life and work.
We’ll review consent and confidentiality, then talk about what is bringing you in and what you would like to be different. You decide how much detail to go into. You do not need to tell your whole story in the first hour, or ever.
Relationship difficulties often involve deeper patterns than the surface issue. Early sessions focus on understanding how you and your partner respond to one another, what may be contributing to disconnection, and where meaningful change can begin.
Your therapist may suggest strategies or conversations to try at home. The skills and insights developed in counselling become most meaningful when they are practiced in everyday life.
Finding a time that works for two people with different schedules is often the hardest part. Appointments are available seven days a week, between 8 AM and 8 PM, depending on each therapist’s schedule, and sessions can be in person at our Fort McMurray office or virtual. Virtual sessions mean one partner can join from camp or out of town when needed.
Stillwater Therapy
#306, 108 Riverstone Ridge
Fort McMurray, AB T9K 1S6
We are on the third floor, above Gym Nation. Free underground parking is available, and
an elevator takes you right to our floor.
Many extended health benefit plans cover counselling and psychological services. We bill your insurance directly when your plan allows.
Coverage depends on your plan and your therapist’s credentials, so check your benefits before your first appointment.
If cost is a barrier, our group therapy sessions are a lower-cost option that many people find valuable alongside or instead of one-on-one work.
No referral is needed. Book online to see current availability, or call us, and we will help match you with
a therapist who works with couples and families.
You can start on your own. Individual counselling can still change how you show up in the relationship, and sometimes a partner becomes willing later. See our Individual Counselling page →
Couples come to us at every stage, including while deciding whether to stay together. Counselling can help you make that decision with more clarity, whichever way it goes.
Yes. We offer virtual sessions, so a partner working away or at camp can take part from wherever they are.
Yes. Blended-family dynamics, step-parenting and co-parenting across households are common reasons families come to us.
No. Your therapist’s job is to help you both understand what’s happening between you, not to decide who’s right.
Some plans cover it, and some don’t; coverage often depends on your therapist’s credentials. Check your benefits before booking, and we’ll bill directly where your plan allows.
Yes. Many families combine family sessions with individual work for one or more members. Your therapist can help you decide what mix makes sense.
