Couples Therapy in Burnaby, Coquitlam and Vancouver

Couples therapy/counselling is provided in my Burnaby and Vancouver offices to deal with relationship issues, depression, anxiety, communications and more specifically, for couples with one or both members dealing with issues such as ADHD, Asperger's or related cognitive dysfunctions.

Gottman Couple's Therapy and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy are the primary interventions methods used.  For more information on these therapies please visit my website or look at these basic outlines available on-line:

Gottman Couple Therapy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gottman
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_behavioral_therapy

In addition to being a Registered Psychologist I have also been a Registered and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, hold a separate graduate degree in couple's therapy and hold an Advance Certificate in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (Rational Emotive Therapy) from the Albert Ellis Institute in New York City.

Please visit my website for more information. As a Registered Psychologist my services are usually covered by extended health care plans (however psychological services are not covered by MSP).

http://www.relatedminds.com/couple-family-therapy/

For more information about Family Therapists visit:
https://www.aamft.org/imis15/AAMFT/Content/About_AAMFT/Qualifications.aspx?hkey=2d5f6fac-24c6-40fd-b74f-5f3eaf214e55


Key Words:
Couple Counselling, Family Counselling, Marriage Counselling, Marriage Therapy, CBT, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, CBT, Vancouver, Burnaby

Couple, Marriage and Family Therapy: Burnaby / Vancouver

I provide couple, marriage and family therapy in my office in Burnaby, BC.  My office is located with quick accesds to Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam and New Westminster. Office hours are available in the afternoon, evening and some Saturdays.

Couple therapy is based upon the work of Dr. John Gottman, as well as other cognitve-behavioural theraies such as RET (Rational Emotive Therapy) and CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy).

In addition to being a registered psychologist and holding a PhD in clinical psychology, I also hold a graduate degree in marriage and family therapy and completed two years of supervised experience just in couples therapy. I have been a Registered and Licensed Marriage and Family herapist for over two decades and am a Clinical Member and Fellow of the American Association for Marriage and Family Counselling (AAMFT).

I also provide individual therapy for depression, anxiety, workplace stress and OCD. I also have a good number of adult patients with asperger's and autism spectrum disorder who are seen for marriage and relationship counselling.  Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

For more information please visit my web page at:

http://www.relatedminds.com/couple-family-therapy

www.relatedminds.com

Couple, Marriage, Family and Individual Therapy

In my practice (offices in Burnaby, Vancouver and Seattle, WA) I see individuals, couples and families for therapy. Often therapy for individuals or couples centers around specific behavioural issues and thinking processes which is addressed through the use of cognitive and behavioural techniques known as CBT or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. For more information about CBT and what CBT is I would visit the following webpage: www.anxietybc.com and see how CBT is used to address issues relating to anxiety. It is also used to address depression and other issues. You might want to take a quick look at the wikipedia page that describes CBT-Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, it's history and practice. Click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_behavioral_therapy

As it says, "Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is short-term psychotherapy originally designed to treat depression, but is now used for a number of mental illnesses. It works to solve current problems and change unhelpful thinking and behavior. The name refers to behavior therapy, cognitive therapy, and therapy based upon a combination of basic behavioral and cognitive principles. Most therapists working with patients dealing with anxiety and depression use a blend of cognitive and behavioral therapy."

Short term, behaviour and skill focused.  A good place to look for more information about CBT is looking up the two therapist who originated CBT,  Dr. Albert Ellis (who for a short time served as my supervisor and it is from his psychotherapy institute in New York where I earned my advanced certificate in CBT or, as it was called then, Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy, and Dr. Aaron Beck. I have also had the pleasure and privilege to attend trainings with Dr. Beck and others from his institute in Philadelphia.

I also see couples, and sometimes use CBT techniques with them, but often move to techniques and practices from Dr. John Gottman. Dr. Gottman has a training institute in Washington and focuses on working with couples. For more about Dr. Gottman and his form of couple's therapy click here: https://www.gottman.com/about-gottman-method-couples-therapy/

Gottman family therapy is really one of the few couple/marriage or family therapy methods that is based upon science, and you can read all about that on his web page above.

In addition to being a licensed and registered psychologist, my early training was in family therapy and I worked for many years as a couple's therapist and family therapist under my Marriage and Family Therapist license. I am currently a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist and a Clinical Member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

Individuals who are Registered Family Therapists, or Licensed Family Therapists, generally have a two or three year MA or MS degree specifically in marriage and family therapy, with a specific set of coursework. Licensed and Registered Family Therapist have one or two years of full time supervised experience practicing marriage and family therapy under a specially trained therapist. I myself have completed towers in marriage and family therapy.

If you are interested in my services, please visit my website at either www.relatedminds.com or http://www.relatedminds.com/couple-family-therapy/ for more information. Whatever you decide to do, if your looking for help with a relationship, help with your marriage or help with your children, I suggest you consider a licensed or registered marriage and family therapist. While some counsellors claim to be family therapists or couples counsellors, they are not necessarily registered marriage and family therapists, and may have little more than a course or two in this field, and little if any supervised experience.

More information on couple, marriage and family therapy in BC can be found here: http://www.bcamft.bc.ca/ohana/website/index.cfm?p=95575656796

Information on couple, marriage and family therapy in Washington State can be found here: http://www.wamft.org/ohana/website/index.cfm?p=95575656262

Finally, information on the national association of family therapists can be found here:
http://www.aamft.org/imis15/AAMFT/Content/About_AAMFT/Qualifications.aspx?hkey=2d5f6fac-24c6-40fd-b74f-5f3eaf214e55

Your relationships are important. Make an informed choice, and find an informed professional.

For information about my practice please see my website at www.relatedminds.com or http://www.relatedminds.com/couple-family-therapy/

Marriage and Family Counselling | Burnaby | Vancouver | Coquitlam

Gottman based Couple and Family Therapy is available, along with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in my offices in Burnaby and Vancouver. Gottman Therapy is a structured approach to changing behaviour and communication style between members of a couple or family. I highly advices Dr. Gottman's recent books: "The Seven Principals for Maring Marriage Work," and "Why Marriages Succeed or Fail." Both of these books are available in book form or through Audible.com if you'd rather listen on your iPod, phone or other device.

CBT- Cognitive Behaviour Therapy is another approach often used in my office, either by itself or in combination with Gottman techniques for couple therapy or counselling. Some patients have found Dr. Aaron Beck's "Love is Never Enough" to be very helpful. This book on couple's counselling/therapy comes from a much more behavioural point of view.

Finally, in my office I see a number of couples who have issues relating to Aspger's Disorder as a central concern. I have been working with young adults and adults with Aspeger's for over twenty years, first starting in California working with Michelle Garcia Winner. While there is a limited number of books for adults with Asperger's Disorder David Finch's book, "The Journal of Best Practices," which is a "memoir of marriage, Asperger's Syndrome and one man's quest to be a better husband" has been found to be very useful. I also spend a great deal of time working with couples with ADHD, OCD and related cognitive disorders, making use of my post graduate training in neuropsychology as well as marriage/couple and family therapy. In addition to being a registered and licensed psychologist I am additionally a registered marriage and family therapist and Fellow of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy and a Clinical Member of the British Columbia Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (Counsellors)/

For more information please visit my web page below, and feel free to call my office. Other sites which have information about my practice are also listed below.

Dr. Jim Roche
relatedminds (at) gmail.com

You can find me at any of the following pages:

http://psyris.com/drjimroche

http://www.relatedminds.com

http://www.actcommunity.ca/profiles/224/

http://www.psychologists.bc.ca/users/jimroche

www.therapistlocator.net/member?226046

Couple and Marriage Therapy in Vancouver | Burnaby

Dr. Jim Roche is a Registered Psychologist and Marriage and Family Therapist providing counselling and therapy to individuals, couples and families in Burnaby and Vancouver. Dr. Roche also provides parent education/training for parents dealing with behavioural problems, including those relating to ADHD and ASD or Aspeger's Disorder. He also specializes in working with adults and couples where one or both of the couple have ASD or Aspeger's Disorder. He has been working in the field for over 20 years.

For more information on Marriage, Couple and Family Therapy visit Dr. Roches web page at www.relatedminds.com or the web page for the British Columbia Association for Marriage and Family Therapists.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Couples?

( For information on marriage, family and couple therapy please visit the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapist Website: www.therapistlocator.net/member?226046 )

What kind of therapy works best for couples, for people with marriage difficulties or relationship issues? That's hard to say, the answer really is: "It depends." Most people seeking couple or marital therapy look for a general counsellor, but first and foremost it's really better to find someone specifically trained in couple, marriage and family therapy. While many counsellors and therapists claim they do "couples work" many don't have very limited training in the field. A Registered Marriage and Family Therapist (RMFT), unlike a "counsellor," has 2 years of supervised experience in the specific field of marriage and family therapy.  Either go with an RMFT or ask and expect significant education and supervised experience in couples work. 

Besides having a significant amount of supervised experience you also want to know what "kind" of therapy your therapist does. Some people say, "I do CBT - cognitive behavioural therapy - but their training consisted of only a weekend workshop or one course. If your therapist says, "I do CBT," ask how much supervision in CBT they received. A good CBT therapist should have many months of supervised experience just in CBT.

And is CBT a good method for marriage or relational problems? Sometimes, and sometimes not. It depends upon what is causing the issues you are having as a couple. Right now CBT - cognitive behavioural therapy, and ACT - Acceptance and Commitment Therapy - are two of the most frequently used "methods" in the field of marriage and family therapy. Snother more recent therapy is Dr. John Gottman's approach - just called Gottman Couple Therapy. Again, most people doing Gottman Therapy should have some real training in this, and in spite of the fact you find people all over the internet offering Gottman Therapy, few have actual training in it. A therapist who offers Gottman Training should have at least completed parts 1 and 2 or the Gottman Training Program. Some therapist who are very interested in the Gottman technique complete a third level of training and submit to having some of their cases supervised. They complete an advanced training program and this can ultimately lead to certification in the Gottman Method.

Most therapy methods don't have route to certification, but it is a good idea for those who have little academic of therapeutic background. 

Another method you may hear about, especially from individuals who are trained traditionally in marriage and family therapy is "systemic" therapy. Systemic might mean a general approach to you as a couple thinking in terms of "systems" or a more specific therapy method called "Systemic." Thera are dozens of variation, Systematic Therapy, Bowen Family Therapy, Ackerman Therapy taught at the Ackerman Institute in New York. But in general, these are the most common forms of family therapy: CBT, ACT, Gottman, Systemic.

CBT is one of the more evidence based therapies, but some people are not familiar with it's use with couples. CBT, as the name suggests, is about what we think - our cognitions. CBT therapists believe that how we think about something leads to what we feel and that leads to how we act. Two different people can have two very different reactions to the same situation or event. The meaning we assign something affects how we feel and act in a situation. What we think is called a "script" or "automatic thought." We pick up these scripts over time and they can create real problems when we react to every situation by interpreting it in an irrational manner -we see situations in black and white, all or nothing -  projecting out how we think things will turn out - or assume what others mean based upon past experiences.

AnxietyBC has an excellent overview of CBT - Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and I suggest you look at their web page to get some good examples that put this theory in to real life situations. 

Most people think of CBT as a therapy method for individuals, but it is not limited to individuals. I have combined CBT and Gottman techniques for years, especially when working on the relationship requires first and foremost getting both parties to speak the same language and move away from false assumptions.

You can find a number of books of couples issues and CBT on line, and at the website of the Albert Ellis Institute, where I did my advanced training in CBT - Albert Ellis was the first to use these terms but CBT was called Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy back then - REBT.  The other major figure in the field you are more likely to hear about is Dr. Aaron Beck. Dr. Ellis put his efforts into training therapists, and Dr. Beck put his early efforts into research proving the effectiveness of CBT.

As the AnxietyBC website states: "CBT is an evidence based psychological treatment proven to be effective through rigorous scientific research. This means that CBT is not based on what people think might work, but on what has been proven to work."

Research on CBT has shown it to be effective with a wide range of problems - depression, anxiety, chronic pain, disordered eating, low self esteem, anger management issues, . If your having trouble with your relationship these a very likely part of the issue, and often it is very difficult to deal with a couple's relational issues while anxiety, fear, anger and irrational thinking are in the way. So CBT makes an effective companion to other therapy techniques aimed at dealing with communication and feelings.

If you are interested in reading about CBT and marriage counselling or couple's therapy Dr. Aaron Beck has an excellent book called, " Love is Never Enough."  It has many insights, lots of great advice and exercises to help with a failing marriage of make a good relationship better.

For information about couples counselling, marriage or family therapy in my Burnaby office check out the information on my website: http://www.relatedminds.com or at http://www.relatedminds.com/couple-family-therapy/

Specific information on my training and certification in the field of couples counselling and marriage and family therapy can be found at the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapist website: www.therapistlocator.net/member?226046

Marriage and Couples Therapy in Burnaby and Coquitlam

Couple, Marriage and Relationship Counselling

I am often called to see couples who want therapy, and the call comes because they are looking for a psychologist to provide therapy for a couple - married or not - and their insurance provider will only pay a Registered Psychologist.  While I usually have time in my schedule in Burnaby for couples seeking counselling, when I don’t I urge them to look not on the BC psychology list, but on the BC Marriage and Family Therapist (RMFT) list because of the unique training and expertise that marriage and family therapists have. Luckily there are many good Registered Marriage and Family Therapists who are also Registered Psychologist, so their extended health care providers will pay for these services. Why do I point this out?

Here is how the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists put it (from the AAMFT website):

What are the qualifications to be a Marriage and Family Therapist?

Marriage and family therapy is a distinct professional discipline with graduate and post graduate programs. Three options are available for those interested in becoming a marriage and family therapist: master's degree (2-3 years), doctoral program (3-5 years), or post-graduate clinical training programs (3-4 years). This means that while a psychologist or “registered counsellor” may say they provide marriage and family therapy, usually they have taken one or two courses in the field and received little if any supervised experience. A Registered Marriage and Family Therapist has 2-5 years of coursework focused on relationships and family work - PLUS two years of supervised experience providing marriage and family therapy. That’s a big difference.

The US Federal government has designated marriage and family therapy as a core mental health profession along with psychiatry, psychology, social work and psychiatric nursing. Currently all 50 US states and most Candian Provinces support and regulate the profession by licensing marriage and family therapists.

The regulatory requirements in most states are substantially equivalent to the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists Clinical Membership standards. After graduation from an accredited program, a period - usually two years - of post-degree supervised clinical experience is necessary before licensure or certification. When the supervision period is completed, the therapist can take a state licensing exam, or the national examination for marriage and family therapists conducted by the AAMFT Regulatory Boards. This exam is used as a licensure requirement in most states.

Who are Marriage and Family Therapists?

Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) are mental health professionals trained in psychotherapy and family systems, and licensed to diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders within the context of marriage, couples and family systems.

Marriage and family therapists are a highly experienced group of practitioners, with an average of 13 years of clinical practice in the field of marriage and family therapy. They evaluate and treat mental and emotional disorders, other health and behavioral problems, and address a wide array of relationship issues within the context of the family system. 

Marriage and Family Therapists broaden the traditional emphasis on the individual to attend to the nature and role of individuals in primary relationship networks such as marriage and the family.  MFTs take a holistic perspective to health care; they are concerned with the overall, long-term well-being of individuals and their families. 

MFTs have graduate training (a Master's or Doctoral degree) in marriage and family therapy and at least two years of clinical experience. Marriage and family therapists are recognized as a "core" mental health profession, along with psychiatry, psychology, social work and psychiatric nursing. 

Since 1970 there has been a 50-fold increase in the number of marriage and family therapists. At any given time they are treating over 1.8 million people 

A family's patterns of behavior influences the individual and therefore may need to be a part of the treatment plan. In marriage and family therapy, the unit of treatment isn't just the person - even if only a single person is interviewed - it is the set of relationships in which the person is imbedded. 

Marriage and family therapy is:

• brief

• solution-focused

• specific, with attainable therapeutic goals

• designed with the "end in mind."

Marriage and family therapists treat a wide range of serious clinical problems including: depression, marital problems, anxiety, individual psychological problems, and child-parent problems.

Research indicates that marriage and family therapy is as effective, and in some cases more effective than standard and/or individual treatments for many mental health problems such as: adult schizophrenia, affective (mood) disorders, adult alcoholism and drug abuse, children's conduct disorders, adolescent drug abuse, anorexia in young adult women, childhood autism, chronic physical illness in adults and children, and marital distress and conflict.

Marriage and family therapists regularly practice short-term therapy; 12 sessions on average. Nearly 65.6% of the cases are completed within 20 sessions, 87.9% within 50 sessions. Marital/couples therapy (11.5 sessions) and family therapy (9 sessions) both require less time than the average individuated treatment (13 sessions). About half of the treatment provided by marriage and family therapists is one-on-one with the other half divided between marital/couple and family therapy, or a combination of treatments.

Why use a Marriage and Family Therapist?

Research studies repeatedly demonstrate the effectiveness of marriage and family therapy in treating the full range of mental and emotional disorders and health problems. Adolescent drug abuse, depression, alcoholism, obesity and dementia in the elderly -- as well as marital distress and conflict -- are just some of the conditions Marriage and Family Therapists effectively treat.

Studies also show that clients are highly satisfied with services of Marriage and Family Therapists. Clients report marked improvement in work productivity, co-worker relationships, family relationships, partner relationships, emotional health, overall health, social life, and community involvement.

In a recent study, consumers report that marriage and family therapists are the mental health professionals they would most likely recommend to friends. Over 98 percent of clients of marriage and family therapists report therapy services as good or excellent.

After receiving treatment, almost 90% of clients report an improvement in their emotional health, and nearly two-thirds report an improvement in their overall physical health. A majority of clients report an improvement in their functioning at work, and over three-fourths of those receiving marital/couples or family therapy report an improvement in the couple relationship. When a child is the identified patient, parents report that their child's behavior improved in 73.7% of the cases, their ability to get along with other children significantly improved and there was improved performance in school. Marriage and family therapy's prominence in the mental health field has increased due to its brief, solution-focused treatment, its family-centered approach, and its demonstrated effectiveness. Marriage and family therapists are licensed in 46 states and are recognized by the federal government as members of a distinct mental health discipline.

Today more than 50,000 marriage and family therapists treat individuals, couples, and families nationwide. Membership in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) has grown from 237 members in 1960 to more than 23,000 in 1996. This growth is a result, in part, of renewed public awareness of the value of family life and concern about the increased stresses on families in a rapidly changing world. 

How can I find a Marriage and Family Therapist?

AAMFT Clinical Members meet stringent training and education requirements that qualify them for the independent practice of marriage and family therapy.  AAMFT requires Clinical Members to abide by the AAMFT Code of Ethics, the most stringent ethical code in the marriage and family therapy profession. This code delineates specific ethical behavior and guidelines for members to follow to ensure the ethical treatment of clients. Clinical Membership in the AAMFT signifies an MFT's dedication to his or her ongoing professional development. Each month, AAMFT Clinical Members receive important updates on current clinical and research developments in the field, as well as numerous opportunities throughout the year to attend professional development conferences.

Click here to find a Marriage and Family Therapist today!

For information on my own practice of Marriage and Family Therapy, providing counselling and therapy services to individuals with relationship issues, couples, married couples and entire families, check out my website at www.relatedminds.com or http://www.relatedminds.com/couple-family-therapy/

My offices are near Lougheed Town Centre and provide counselling services to individuals in Burnaby, Coquitlam, New Westminster and Maple Ridge. Please see my web page for details.

Couple Therapy and Intimacy

Often couples come in and want some basic help with renewing their sense of desire and intimacy. While Dr. John Gottman speaks in detail about the skills we all need to develop and sustain intimacy, and desire. But almost everyone wants something simple, short and clear. One of the best resources I have found for couples have difficulty with intimacy is this Ted talk by Esther Perel. It's about 20 minutes long, and get's right to the point. Clients have overwhelmingly found this helpful. But don't forget to look at the skills and knowledge provided by Dr. Gottman.




For more information on the services I provide as a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist, and Clinical Fellow of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, please visit my web page at http://www.relatedminds.com/couple-family-therapy/

In addition to my Registration as a Marriage and Family Therapist I am also a Registered Psychologist in British Columbia. While MSP does not cover the cost of couples or marriage counselling or therapy, most extended health care services do cover these costs. Please contact your insurance provider for information.

I have offices located in both Burnaby and Vancouver, and provide evening hours for those with complex work schedules. Most information can be found at www.relatedminds.com

Couple Counselling and Marriage Counselling: Beginning with Gottman Couples Therapy

Where to start with Gottman Couples Therapy? I often suggest at our first couples/marriage therapy session that both members take a look through John Gottman's YouTube page and view several videos. Reading a book, especially while having relational problems, isn't easy.  And sometimes when we are reading about about behaviour, and we are reading it because of problems we are having with our spouse, we read and do little more than find what's wrong with them! - watching these videos, together - can be helpful.

Having trouble in a relationship means examining both yourself and the relationship. A difficult thing to do. And it means making some behavioural changes NOW, because our partners expect us to make some effort...right away. And they are watching. And trying to make changes themselves. All of this can be difficult and usually calls for the coaching and guidance of a professional training in couple and marriage therapy.

Still, watching the video of John Gottman and his wife working through these issues with others can be very helpful, and you will feel the support of having others in the same place as you...moving forward.

This video is only one of several on the internet. There are also videos that are more comprehensive and come in a "marriage and family workshop" format that formally walk you through the important steps of therapy. As a marriage and family therapist it is my goal to help you find resource and skills you can use on your own to address problems not only now, but in the future, and I work as quickly as possible at moving you from weekly sessions to a more informal coaching relationship were you can work on your relationship or marriage on your own. These videos are a great place to start.



In marriage or couples therapy sessions we work through many of the issues you will hear about on these videos. We also focus, intensely, on changing they way you interact and communicate in yor relationship.

Other books and videos I suggest about Marriage and Couples counselling can be found at my Amazon.ca Book List. Click here Dr. Roche Book Suggestions

Finally, for more information about my services, not only as a Registered Psychologist but also as a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist you can visit my web site directly at this link: Dr. Jim Roche at RelatedMinds  My American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy site is located at this link: AAMFT.

For those viewing the videos I also share an outline to help you understand the terms and components of what Dr. Gottman is speaking about.

Feel free to contact me for more information.

Dr. Jim Roche

Marriage and Couple Therapy: Burnaby / Vancouver

Marriage and Family Therapists: The Friendly Mental Health Professionals

I am often called and asked if I will see someone, or a couple, for "couple's therapy," or "marriage counselling."  Most of these calls are because I am a psychologist, and there is an assumption that every mental health professional has the same training and experience and can see anyone. This isn't necessarily so, as marriage and family therapy is a separate field of study and every US State and most Canadian provinces actually license or registered therapists in the field of marriage and family therapy.

Luckily , in addition to my license as a psychologist I am also a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist in British Columbia, and a Fellow and Clinical Member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (BCAMFT and AAMFT).  

A marriage therapist usually holds a graduate degree in marriage and family therapy, and has completed one or two years of full time supervised clinical internship in marriage and family therapy.  This includes60 semester hours of work focused on marriage and family therapy. Most "clinical counsellors" and psychologists have taken one or two courses in this area, and would not qualify to registration in marriage and family therapy.  This doesn't mean they don't have the clinical ability or experience to do marriage and family therapy, but it good to know that there are specially certified experts in the field, many of whom ARE psychologists.

To find a listing of Registered / Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists near you, including those who are additionally Registered / Licensed Psychologist, go to the "Find a Therapist" website of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapists by clicking here: http://www.therapistlocator.net/iMIS15/therapistlocator/

To find out more about the differences between the various mental health professionals you can also visit this page, which explains what marriage and family therapists are in comparison to other mental health professionals. Click here: http://www.therapistlocator.net/IMIS15/Content/Consumer_Updates/Marriage_and_Family_Therapists.aspx

Briefly, from that page, you will see that: "Marriage and family therapists are mental health professionals with a minimum of a master’s degree and two years supervised clinical experience. Marriage and family therapists (commonly referred to as MFTs or family therapists) are trained and licensed to independently diagnose and treat mental health and substance abuse problems. Marriage and family therapy is one of the core mental health disciplines and is based on the research and theory that mental illness and family problems are best treated in a family context. Trained in psychotherapy and family systems, marriage and family therapists focus on understanding their clients’ symptoms and interaction patterns within their existing environment. MFTs treat predominantly individuals, but also provide couples, family and group therapy. Whomever the client, Family Therapists treat from a relationship perspective that incorporates family systems."

For more information about my practice as a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist and Fellow of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists you can visit my web page here: http://www.relatedminds.com/couple-family-therapy/ or my home page at http:www.relatedminds.com

I can also be reached at my office by calling 778.998-7975

Infidelity and Couples Therapy (Gottman's Thoughts)

John Gottman points out that it a myth that infidelity, cheating, is the cause of divorce. He reports that 20-25% of people in divorce mediation do say that an affair was a reason for the marriage ending, but THE reason given by nearly 80% of these couples is a "deterioration of intimacy." In fact, researchers (Fisher et al 2009) have found that relationship problems- usually noted as a :deterioration of intimacy" is reported in over 80 percent of cases by men. Other researches have supported this finding. IT starts with a breakdown in the love component of your relationship. The affair is often just the last straw.

There are several other myths about relationships that Gottman addresses in his work and practice as a couples therapist. One big one is that "communications problems" cause marriage problems and conflicts. This sounds good, and sounds simple. The truth is, distressed people communicate quite clearly what they feel and mean.

What Gottman suggests is that couples are never going to learn to "not communicate" the often hurtful and damaging things they say. Rather, what is important is to learn how to properly argue, disagree and differ in wants, needs, ideas and feelings. It's not what they are doing, we all disagree and get upset, instead it's about HOW they do it. Gottman offers clear, understandable tools for fixing this problem, which doesn't include the typical, " Say everything ...."  Instead it's "say what's appropriate, in a way that shows your still committed to the relationship."  In other words, make each other feel safe, especially when angry.

When you think about this, this is a skill any good parent has. They learn how to set limits, correct and when necessary even punish their children without driving a nail through their self esteem. We need to learn to do that with each other.

In happy couples Gottman's research shows that number of positive interaction to negative interactions is 20-1.  Yes, 20-1. In conflicted couples it 5-1. Maybe you thought 5-1 was good enough? Research says that 5-1 is a dangerous place to be. In soon to be divorced couples it's 8-1.  Unhappy couples tend to have a filter that screens out positive events and makes even neutral events look negative.  You need to learn to increase the number of daily positive interactions between you.  And, going back to the beginning of this submission, you need to figure out how to renew the intimacy between you. To do that Gottman uses what are called "Love Maps."

If your interested in learning more about Dr. Gottman and his techniques, yuou can visit his website or just Google him on YouTube. He has his own YouTube channel! You'll find a good number of videos on his practice.  If your interested in seeing me for marriage therapy, couples counselling or family therapy, feel free to call me. More information is available on my website at http://www.relatedminds.com or on my marriage counselling | family therapy page at: http://www.relatedminds.com/couples-therapy

I see couples for therapy in both my Vancouver office (serving Vancouver, West Vancouver, North Vancouver and Richmond) and Burnaby (serving Burnaby, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, Langley and Surrey). In addition to being a Registered Psychologist in BC I am also a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist (RMFT) with the British Columbia Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, and a Clinical Member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

Jim Roche
http://www.psychologists.bc.ca/users/jimroche
.........................................................

Keywords: Marriage therapy, marriage counselling, couple therapy, couple counselling, marriage and family therapist, psychologist, infidelity, cheating, Gottman, Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam, New Westminster

Self-Help Book for Relationships and Couples

I thought it might be a good idea to repost this blog about self-help books for couples:


If your looking for a good self help book instead of marriage counselling, here is one I can recommend: Why Marriages Succeed and Fail: And How You Can Make Yours Last by John Gottman. Many couples need the help of a registered marriage and family therapist, but this book is useful for anyone, including those who decide to see  therapist of counsellor. Here is the book at Amazon.ca:

<a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Why-Marriages-Succeed-Fail-Yours/dp/0684802414/ref=pd_sim_b_1/701-7522828-1360365?ie=UTF8&qid=1189021726&s">http://www.amazon.ca/Why-Marriages-Succeed-Fail-Yours/dp/0684802414/ref=pd_sim_b_1/701-7522828-1360365?ie=UTF8&qid=1189021726&s</a>

The book is by marriage researcherDr. John Gottman. It's described as "upbeat, easy-to-follow manual based on research into the dynamics of married couples. Gottman describes his studies as being akin to a CAT scan of a living relationship and asserts that he's been able to predict the future of marriages with an accuracy rate of over 90 percent. In 1983 and 1986, his research team monitored more than a hundred married couples in Indiana and Illinois with electrodes, video cameras, and microphones as they attempted to work out real conflicts. Using the information derived from these sessions, Gottman concludes here that a lasting relationship results from a couple's ability to resolve conflicts through any of the three styles of problem-solving that are found in healthy marriages- -validating, conflict-avoiding, and volatile. Numerous self-quizzes help couples determine the style that best suits them. Gottman points out, however, that couples whose interactions are marked by four characteristics--criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and withdrawal--are in trouble, and he includes self-tests for diagnosing these destructive tactics, as well as steps for countering them. Interestingly, Gottman asserts that the basis of a stable marriage can be expressed mathematically: the ratio of positive to negative moments must be at least 5:1--and he offers a four-step program for breaking through negativity and allowing one's natural communication and problem-solving abilities to flourish. Mathematics and science aside, there's plenty of old- fashioned, helpful, and worthwhile advice here about gender differences, realistic expectations, love, and respect--advice that may appeal especially to those who enjoy taking quizzes and analyzing relationships."

If you love your mate, and your relationship just seems to be going off track, and becoming less and less important to you, this is THE book for you. As the author above describes, Gottman's book is one of the very few relationship books that is actually based on science. There are many theories, but most are ...it may seem hard to imagine...just made up! Yes, people look at a situation and develop a theory, and then a practice, on what they think is right, with no research to back up their ideas, or the treatment you are exposed to. Gottman bases his suggestions on scientific observations and years of research. The ideas on how to strengthen your relationship are easy to follow, clearly laid out and presented in a step by step manner. Those of us who practice marriage and family therapy often use both his books and his many packets of clinical material to help guide couples through this learning process in a supportive and direct manner.  In the book you will learn: That more sex doesn't necessarily improve a marriage, Frequent arguing will not lead to divorce, Financial problems do not always spell trouble in a relationship, Wives who make sour facial expressions when their husbands talk are likely to be separated within four years, There is a reason husbands withdraw from arguments -- and there's a way around it

Dr. Gottman tells you how to recognize attitudes that doom a relationship, which he calls "The Four Horsemen" - contempt, criticism, defensiveness, and stonewalling, and provides you with readings, exercises, role plays, tips and easy to use techniques that will help you understand and make the most of your relationship. Through reading and practicing his suggestions you can avoid patterns that lead to divorce.

About Dr. Roche:
Dr. Jim Roche is a Registered Psychologist and a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist with offices in Vancouver and Burnaby, BC. He has been in practice for over 25 years and uses Dr. John Gottman's programs and techniques, as well as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, when working with couples and families. For more information about his marriage therapy practice check out his web page at: http://www.relatedminds.com/couples-therapy/

Other information about Dr. Roche can be found at:  <a href="http://relatedmnds.com">www.relatedminds.com</a> or <a href="http://www.relatedminds.com/adhd">www.relatedminds.com/adhd</a>. Other information on my practice can be found at: <a href="http://Therapists.Psychologytoday.com/70682">http://Therapists.Psychologytoday.com/70682</a>, http://www.bcpsychologist.org/users/jimroche or <a href="http://psyris.com/drjimroche">http://psyris.com/drjimroche</a>.

John Gottman Couples Therapy Interview

John Gottman Couples Therapy Interview

Everybody comes for "communications help" when they come for marriage therapy or couple or family therapy. But often the problem isn't one of lack of communication, they are communicating enough. The problem is often their expectations. This little video shows John Gottman talking about just this issue.

For information on my marraige and family therapy practice please go to www.relatedminds.com

What to ask your Marriage or Couples Therapist

I just finished another phone call where I made a referral to another professional rather than taking the case myself. This was a personal referral, a medical doctor who sends couples to me and children for assessment suggested my name to a young woman with an eating disorder. I have never felt I had enough background in eating disorders to treat this disorder and simply told this woman that. I then helped her find a therapist with an appropriate background, education and training to help her. Every psychologist, and every therapist, is not trained or prepared to deal with every situation. I also refer assessments for children under 4, even though I have many years of experience with children and adolescents, I just don't feel competent to assess a 4 year old, but I know someone who is.

Couple and family therapy is like that. Not every therapist, counsellor or psychologist is really prepared to work with a couple or family. Here in British Columbia we have a special situation with there being registered professionals (Registered Psychologists and Registered Social Workers) and then, as odd as it may seem, people who list themselves as "registered" such as Registered Clinical Counsellors, who really are not registered at all!

What? How can that be? Well Registered Clinical Counsellors, RCCs, are not regulated by the government. "Registered" in British Columbia means you are able to practice because you have been granted permission to practice based upon education, experience and a professional examination administered by or acceptable to the REGULATORY AGENCY. The College of Psychologists is one such body here.

RCC's have a professional association, but unlike a regulatory body they do not have a separate government sanctioned process for certifying competence to the public. This doesn't mean that an RCC might not be a very well trained and experienced counsellor. Some are. But howe do you know who is well trained, especially in couple and family therapy, and who isn't?

Usually people look at titles, degrees and make a choice about who they should see, but with couple and marriage problems, this is not necessarily a good idea. An individual may say they provide family or couple therapy, but in reality have very little experience or educational background in the field. Marriage and Family Therapy is a regulated profession in all 50 states in the United States, and is in some parts of Canada (It is usually considered a specialty and requires specially training and education). In British Columbia it is not under the control of a regulatory body at present, so anyone, that's ANYONE, can call themselves a marriage and family therapist. How can you make sure you are seeing someone who has adequate training and experience?

Some therapists here in British Columbia belong to the professional association called the British Columbia Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (BCMFT). ALL of these individuals have graduate degree's in marriage and family therapy that meet the standards that those licensed in the United States and other parts of Canada meet. All members of BCAMFT have one or two years of full time supervised experience in marriage and family therapy (RCCs need only one hundred hours of supervision and might say they do marriage and couple work after a weekend workshop. There is no law or regulation protecting the title Marriage and Couple Therapist). So my advice is that if you are going to look for a couple, marriage or family therapist you check with BCAMFT and find someone who has meet their standards. Their web page can be found here BCAMFT.

BCAMFT is seeking to organize a "regulatory body" here in BC, and it will just be a matter of time before they do. What I know is that your best bet for finding an experienced family therapist is checking their website. You can also note that many of the clinical members of BCAMFT are also registered psychologists! Yes, you could find someone who has both registrations and this will often help with your insurance company.

After you locate two or three individuals you would like to contact prepare a list of questions to help you make a decision on who would be best for you. I'd write these questions down, so that you ask the same questions to all three people you are contacting. Here are some suggested questions to help you pick the right therapist for you:

1. Can you tell me about your background and training in marriage therapy? (Are they AAMFT or BCAMFT members? Did they attend a program that specialized and focused on marriage and family therapy? How many hours of experience were part of their training? Was their supervisor an "approved AAMFT supervisor?"

A simple follow-up question, which helps because many counsellors say they are trained in the field when they have minimal training and experience, is this:

"What professional association do you belong to that trains and supports marriage and couple counselling?"

If they are working in the field, and are really meet the criteria to be a marriage and family therapist, they should either belong to the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) or the British Columbia Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (BCAMFT). If they are a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist they belong, if they don't belong it's most likely because they don't meet the standards for registration.

2. How much of your practice is in marriage and family therapy? Marriage therapy requires special skills, and someone who does mostly individual work would not be my choice. Some therapists try to have a balance of individual, testing and couples work. A good marriage or couple therapist should be seeing several couples every week. Couples therapy requires a mindset that individual therapy does not.

3. Of the couples you see, how many stay together? Usually about 70% of couples stay together. If your therapist says 90% it's something to wonder about. The research doesn't say that's likely (Read Dr. John Gottman's page for some insight into the therapy process. It can be found by clicking here.)

4. What is your experience helping couples like us? And how do you determine your goals?

5. What theories, therapist or books do you recommend to people? Most family therapists are what are known as "systemic" or "systems" therapists. Some are Cognitive behaviour therapists, and many these days will note the writings and techniques of John Gottman, a leading researcher in the field. A lot of therapists take theories and procedures from individual therapy and simply apply it to couples, but couples are a system, and families are complex systems. That's why AAMFT and BCAMFT require one to two years of full time supervised clinical experience working in the field.

I hope this has helped you if you are looking for a couple or marriage therapist. This is an important decision, and you need to find a competent and experienced therapist for this complex task. More information about my own practice can be found at www.relatedminds.com. You are welcome to contact me by phone (778.998-7975) or email (drjimroche@gmail.com) if you would like more information.

John Gray: How Men Communicate

I've never been a big fan of John Gray, the author of Men are From Mars and Women, well, you know, VENUS! But often times when sitting in a session, trying to be very focused on teaching John Gottman's theory and doing John Gottman's exercises, I end up telling a story based on what I heard from John Gray.

It's pretty good stuff, and you should take some time to figure out why on your wife's birthday the card is more important than the gift, and on your husband's birthday it's the present that counts.



Enjoy this short video.

For more information on my Marriage, Couple and Family Therapy services, serving Burnaby, Coquitlam, New Westminster and Port Moody out of my Burnaby office, or information about my Vancouver office, click here. If you need information on how to get to my office, or about other services, click here.

Again, I remind you, if you are looking for a marriage, couple or family therapist your best choice is a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist in British Columbia. These are individuals with specific training and supervision in working with families. If your insurance carrier will only pay for the services of a Registered Psychologist, you will find a number of RMFTs are also Registered Psychologists.

Children, Behaviour Problems and Couples Therapy: Which First?

Often couples come in to see me who are having problems both with their relationship and with their children's behaviour. "Which should we work on first?" is often the question. Well, it's hard to say, but I do know you can't get anywhere working on your children's behaviour issues while your fighting. So, generally I think it's relationship, then kids.

That doesn't mean that you should wait for your relationship to be fixed before you begin working on the kids. There are some simple techniques that will help improve things quickly, and working on these issues will be a good place for you and your spouse to try out your new couples and communications skills.

For those who are not familiar with my programs for children I do a considerable amount of child and adolescent therapy. This usually includes seeing the children briefly, so that I have a fairly good idea of how they are doing, and then training the parents. This is what works best, because parents spend the most time with their children and will have the greatest chance of effecting change.

Often initial child therapy involves developing some interactions skills that will come in useful. I often recommend Dr. Ross Greens book "The Explosive Child" in order to understand how to soften and reduce the frequency of temper tantrums. Yes, these are also good skills to use with each other, and even for couples without children I sometimes recommend this book! Next we try to develop a comprehensive behaviour plan that includes ignoring, as much as humanly possible, inappropriate behaviours, and reinforcing new appropriate behaviours. That means understanding why your child does something, and knowing what the "function" of the behaviour is. We then try to teach the child a new functionally equivalent replacement behaviour which still gets the child what he or she needs or wants, but to do it in an appropriate way. You may be thinking, well, maybe that's what we should be doing with each other as well. You right if that's what your thinking.

Often marriage or couple therapy is about developing a deeper understanding of the needs of the other, and together developing new appropriate ways to meet those needs. That goes for you, your spouse or your child.

If you would like to know more about family or marriage counselling please go to my web page at www.relatedminds.com If your having particular trouble with your child, especially one who has ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism or other problems, you could go directly to my attention deficit hyperactivity disorder website at www.adhdhelp.ca Finally, you can find out more about me at my Psychology Today web site by clicking here.

You can set up an appointment for my Burnaby office by calling 778.9980-7975 My Burnaby office serves Burnaby, New Westminster, Coquitlam, Port Moody, New West Minster and Maple Ridge. I also have offices in Vancouver. You will find a map to my office on my website.

ADHD and Marriage

Almost 1/3 of my marriage and couple referrals involve issues in a relationship that are related to possible ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Often "You don't listen to me!" "You forget everything!" and "You just can't be relied on..." problems are related to issues of Executive Dysfunction in one or maybe both partners. And inability to follow-through, plan, initiate and even more important, control your emotions is often a signal that there may be an issue of executive deficit or dysfunction, similar too ADHD, that needs to be looked at.

Often I ask couples to complete some short self report forms that help me in a diagnostic process called "differential diagnosis." That means not immediately focusing on what everyone thinks is the problem but also looking at other possible causes.

This investigation can often lead us to teaching specific skills to compensate for deficits, and providing education to the other spouse about what may be at the heart of their problem. An inability to change behaviour can also be a frontal lobe or executive problem, and there are skills and interventions we can implement to work on those. What's most important is to understand that procrastination, messiness, disorder and inability to make changes can be signs of more than a relationship issue. They may be something that causes the relationship issue but also something that needs an intervention separate from our usual family systems intervention.

Be open minded, and be willing to look at all possible causes of your problems. Sometimes fixing these issues first makes fixing your relationship easier.

You can visit my web site at www.RelatedMinds.com by clicking here. Or you can look at my Psychology Today website.

An Introduction to John Gottman: Part 1

John Gottman has been conducting marital therapy research for over 25 years. (His web page can be found at www.gottman.com) There are many theorist in the field, but John Gottman is one of the few who have written books on marriage and couple therapy, practices marriage and couple therapy and has based his practice on research. Most others write books based upon their "experience," which we know is often wrong, and what they "feel" should work. Gottman does what has been scientifically been show to work!

In the next few blogs I want to review his work. I am going to start today by discussing some of the myths and truths about marital dysfunction.

1. Affairs cause divorces. Almost true. While 20-25% of people in mediation groups say that their spouse having an affair was A reason for their divorce, the major reason for divorce given by 80% was a "deterioration in intimacy."

2. Gender differences cause divorce. Well, as some have pointed out, if this were true we would expect a very high number of divorces in heterosexual couples and near zero with gay and lesbian couples. Gay and lesbian couples are not that lucky. It must be something else!

3. Communications problems cause divorce. Most couples coming to see me, like those coming to see most therapists, say they are having trouble with communication. The truth is distressed people communicate very clearly what they feel and mean. Sometimes too clearly. Therapy sometimes stressed expressing even more, only to further damage the relationship!

4. No "quid pro quo" makes unsuccessful marriages and relationships. Research shows this is not the case for troubled couples, but neither is it for happy couples.

What does the research show?

1. Positivity - positive statements - in happy couples is seen at a rate of 20-1! In couples in conflict its only 5-1. The best way to tell if a couple is getting divorced is to watch the number and quality of the interactions when they are NOT in stress and conflict.

2. Marriage tend to end at two times: at 5-7 years due to conflict; and at 10-12 years due to loss of intimacy.

3. When it comes to arguments the type of person you are with (an attacker, soother, avoider) is not as important as the MISMATCH between them.

4. And surprise! Most problematic issues (65%) don't get solved, they just get managed. Temper your expectations!

How does this research apply to you? I recommend reading Gottman's book Seven Principals for Making a Marriage Work to find out. It will guide you through how to understand this research, and how to make changes in your relationship. Much of this information translates into understanding two kinds of states that marriages can be in: 1) Positive Statement Override, where positive statements and behaviours outweigh negatives by 20-1, and Negative Statement Override where the ration is in favour of the negative, or the positives are below 5-1.

Therapy consists of learning what you can do about this, and in reality you can't confront the negative system override directly. Rather you need to develop and support the infrastructure of the positive override system. In therapy we learn to do this through practicing what are called "softened startups; self soothing;working to improve our "acceptance of influence"; making what are called "repair attempts; learning to de-escalate and compromise; making what are called "bids for affection," and avoiding "gridlock."

Most important, we must learn to avoid what Gottman calls the 4 Horseman: Criticism (what kind of person are you?); Contempt (I would never be so low as to do something like that!); Defensiveness (Yeah:? Well what about what you do?); and finally Stonewalling (shutting down).

In Gottman based therapy we focus on six basic skills: 1) Recognizing and avoiding the 4 Horseman; softening startups; Accepting influence (especially for men, yes, it's true); soothing physio arousal; recognizing and responding to repair attempts and finally compromise. Over the next few posts we will be addressing these skills, but we will follow this outline:

1. How to move from gridlock to dialogue
2. Learn how to recover after a fight
3. Reviewing these six basic social skills we just addressed
4. Making effective repairs

I hope this brief outline I will be offering will get you interested in the work of John Gottman. It's my opinion there is nothing that can help more in most cases. Sometimes couples are not ready for therapy and need to be seen individually first. And sometimes there is so much irrational thinking going on that a short period of individual cognitive behaviour therapy or rational emotive therapy might be the best way to start. See a therapist for help, and if you need to see a psychologist remember that a number of therapist here in BC are both registered psychologist and registered marriage and family therapists. You can locate a family therapist at the web site of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapist on their "Therapy Locator." Their licenses and registrations will be specified.

For more information on my practice you can visit my web page at www.relatedminds.com

Research Supports Effectiveness of Marriage and Family Therapy / Counselling

The largest clinical trial of couple therapy ever conducted has found that therapy can help even very distressed married couples: if both partners want to improve their marriage. and that is a critical part of the findings.

“It takes only one person to end a marriage but two people to make it work,” said Andrew Christensen, the lead author of the study, which appears in the April issue of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. The couples received up to 26 therapy sessions. Psychologists then conducted follow-up sessions approximately every six months for five years after therapy ended. When the therapy sessions were over, about two-thirds of the couples overall had shown "significant clinical improvement." The study included 134 married couples, 71 in Los Angeles and 63 in Seattle who were in their 30s and 40s. The couples were “chronically, seriously distressed” and fought frequently, but they were hoping to improve their marriages.

so there is hope, if you WANT to work on your marriage. In the next few posts I will look at the work of Dr. John Gottman of The Gottman Institute. Dr. Gottman was one of the first professionals to do scientific studies of couples and what the difference is between couples whose marriages withstand difficult times and those who don't. As a matter of fact Dr. Gottman is able to predict, after an initial interview, where your marriage is going.

Some of the factors that put couples at high risk for divorce are: Marriage at an early age; not graduating from high school; low-income bracket; inter-faith marriage; parents who were divorced; the way you criticize each other; the amount of defensiveness in your marriage; the tendency to withdraw from one another; and what can best be described as "contempt" for each other. These are all signs of you being statistically at higher risk of divorce. But they are also things we can actually do something about. These are things, for the most party, we can change or adapt to. If we want.

Who does well in marriage can couple counselling / therapy?

Young couples; non-sexist couples (yes, there is a reason for a therapist to push that issue!); couples who are still in love; and couples who are open to therapy and change.

In marriage and couple therapy we can help you set goals for what needs to change. We don't try to change your marriage, but instead teach you the skills to communicate your needs and perspectives. All couples experience conflict, most fight and argue! Happy couples know how to handle their disagreements because they have a relationship with a strong foundation of affection and friendship. Unhappy couples simply do not have these skills. But they are skills you can learn, practice and become experts at.

What the research is also clear about is that you shouldn't wait until it's too late. If you think your marriage is in trouble, get help and don't wait. One place you can look for a marriage therapist is through the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT). In British Columbia members of the BCAMFT are Clinical Members of AAMFT. Many are also Registered Psychologists or Social Workers. Look for a therapist early.

Dr. Jim Roche is a Registered Psychologist and Registered MArriage and Family Therapist. He has offices in Burnaby (close to Coquitlam, Port Moody and New Westminster) and Vancouver. you can find information on his practice at www.relatedminds.com or at his link through AAMFT. He has over twenty years experience as a clinical member of AAMFT.

Dr. Jim Roche
778.998-7975
clinicalpsychology@gmail.com

Marriage and Family Therapy Blog

Welcome to the Vancouver Marriage and Family Therapy Blog. Here I will try to provide some basic information on current practices in marriage, family and couples therapy, as well as some specific techniques that any couple might find useful to help their relationship grow.

I am a registered marriage and family therapist in British Columbia, as well as a registered psychologist. Additionally I am a clinical member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT) and have licenses in social work and counselling in several other jurisdictions. I have a private practice in the lower mainland with offices in Burnaby and Vancouver. My Burnaby office is located at Lougheed Mall near Port Coquitlam and New Westminster. You can find out more about my practice at my professional website at www.drjimroche.com or at my Psychology Today site. My office hours include evening and weekends.

The next posting will begin with some basic information on marriage and couple therapy. After that I will try to explain some of the new research in the field of marriage therapy and give an explaination of the work of Dr. John Gottman, a leader in the field of marriage and couple's counselling. If you have any specific questions that you feel would be good for the blog just email me.

Key Words: Marriage therapy, marriage counselling, couples counselling, couples therapy, Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam, New Westminster, Port Moody, psychologist, counsellor.