Rebuild the Bond. Repair the Pattern. Rewrite the Relationship.
About Couples Therapy at Mindset Therapy:
In couples therapy the relationship itself is the client. Often times, clients are hesitant to pursue couples therapy because they fear that their therapist will “take a side.” At mindset therapy, that is never the case. It is important to understand that each person is one half of a dynamic and together, the couple and therapist work to identify, explore and negotiate how to improve communication, empathy, relatedness and understanding.
Together, we will use various techniques and tools to discover where any dysfunction lies, to address and repair emotional wounds and to cultivate a strong partnership. In couples therapy we incorporate Gottman theory, emotionally focused therapy (EFT), and attachment therapy. All sessions are held virtually across Ontario, allowing both partners to join from wherever they are.
What is the Gottman Method and How Does it Work?
The Gottman Method is a structured, evidence-based approach that helps couples strengthen their relationship through practical tools, emotional insight, and guided connection. It’s grounded in over four decades of research on real couples and focuses on helping partners manage conflict, deepen friendship, and build shared meaning.
At Mindset Therapy, your therapist will observe your communication style, emotional reactivity, and behavioral habits, then use targeted interventions to disrupt dysfunctional cycles and build new relational habits. You’ll learn to improve emotional regulation, increase empathy, and shift from gridlock to understanding.
The Gottman Method includes core tools like:
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The Four Horsemen: Identifying damaging patterns like criticism, defensiveness, contempt, and stonewalling
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The Sound Relationship House: Building blocks for connection, trust, and shared goals
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Love Maps, Bids for Connection, and Stress-Reducing Conversations
This approach is particularly effective for couples facing recurring conflict, emotional withdrawal, infidelity recovery, or stagnation. With a focus on repair and connection, the Gottman Method empowers couples to build a stronger foundation that lasts.
How Does Attachment-Based Couples Therapy Work?
Attachment-Based Therapy helps couples understand how early relational experiences shape current emotional responses and communication habits in adult partnerships. If you find yourselves stuck in cycles of withdrawing, pursuing, shutting down, or reacting intensely—attachment patterns are often at play.
Your therapist will help you identify your individual attachment styles (e.g., anxious, avoidant, or secure) and how these styles interact in moments of stress or conflict. You’ll explore how past experiences—such as childhood dynamics, emotional neglect, or past relationship trauma—are showing up in your current relationship.
The goal of this approach is to foster a healthier dynamic, where each partner feels emotionally safe, seen, and valued. By building emotional awareness, softening defensive patterns, and strengthening responsiveness, couples are able to move from insecurity to connection.
Attachment-based therapy is especially helpful for those feeling emotionally disconnected, struggling with trust, or cycling through unresolved wounds from the past.
