Couples & Marriage Counselling in Nanaimo
Couples counselling in Nanaimo is available virtually through TEO Counselling Services. We use the Gottman Method — the most extensively researched approach to couples therapy — for partners working through conflict, disconnection, trust injuries, or the slow drift that happens when life gets busy. Sessions are $175, start with a free 15-minute consultation, and are covered by most extended health plans that include Canadian Certified Counsellors.
Book a free 15-minute consultationWhen couples counselling helps
Most couples don't arrive in therapy after one bad fight. They arrive after the same fight has been repeating for years, in slightly different words. You might recognise some of this:
- —The same argument keeps resurfacing and never resolves
- —One of you brings something up, the other shuts down
- —You've become efficient co-parents or roommates, but not partners
- —Trust was broken — through an affair, a betrayal, or repeated small letdowns
- —You're not fighting at all anymore, and that silence feels worse
- —One of you is considering leaving and hasn't said it out loud.
Counselling is also worth considering before things feel critical — around a new baby, a move, a career change, a blended family, or caring for aging parents. These transitions strain even strong relationships.
How the Gottman Method works
The Gottman Method comes out of more than four decades of observational research by Drs. John and Julie Gottman, who studied thousands of couples to identify what actually predicts whether a relationship lasts. What that means in practice:
We start with assessment. The first sessions map how your relationship actually functions — where conflict escalates, where connection has thinned, what each of you is protecting.
We work on the patterns, not the incidents. Most recurring arguments aren't really about the dishes or the money. They sit on top of something unspoken. The work is identifying that structure so the same conflict stops running on a loop.
We build specific, practicable skills. How to raise a hard topic without triggering defensiveness. How to repair after a rupture. How to stay regulated when a conversation gets heated.
The Gottmans identified four communication patterns most corrosive to relationships — criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling — which they termed the Four Horsemen. Recognising them in your own conversations is often the first shift couples notice.
Is couples counselling only for relationships in crisis?
No — and waiting until crisis makes the work harder. Research on help-seeking suggests couples often wait years between noticing a serious problem and reaching out. By then, patterns have hardened and resentment has had time to accumulate. Coming in earlier means working with more goodwill still in the account.
We also see couples who are fundamentally solid and want to stay that way — partners preparing for marriage, navigating a big transition, or wanting to communicate better before something breaks.
Virtual sessions across Nanaimo and BC
All our sessions are virtual. For couples, this tends to be an advantage rather than a compromise:
- No coordinating two commutes. You join from home, or from two different locations if one of you travels or works shifts.
- You practise where you live. The skills get applied in the room where the arguments actually happen.
- Easier to sustain. Couples work depends on consistency, and virtual sessions are far easier to keep booked over months.
We work with couples in Nanaimo, Ladysmith, Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Duncan, and across British Columbia — including Victoria, Vancouver, Surrey, and Kelowna.
Who you'll work with
Mohamad Shabib — MACP, CCC, RP(q). Founder and lead therapist. Trained in the Gottman Method, EMDR, and Internal Family Systems. Offers sessions in English and Arabic.
Alison Shaji — MA Clinical Psychology, RCC. Offers sessions in English, Hindi, and Malayalam.
We're registered with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) and the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC). Therapy is available in English, Arabic, Hindi, and Malayalam. For couples who share a first language other than English, being able to argue — and repair — in that language matters more than people expect.
Sessions and fees
| Initial consultation | Free, 15 minutes |
| Couples session | $175 |
| Individual session | $150 |
| Format | Virtual, across BC |
| Sliding scale | Available, ask during your consultation |
| Insurance | Most extended health plans covering CCC or RCC |
Frequently asked questions
How much does couples counselling cost in Nanaimo?
Couples sessions at TEO Counselling are $175. The initial 15-minute consultation is free, and sliding-scale rates are available if cost is a barrier. Most extended health benefit plans that cover Canadian Certified Counsellors (CCC) or Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCC) will reimburse couples sessions — check whether your plan specifies a per-session maximum.
Do both partners have to attend every session?
Usually yes, since the work is about the relationship rather than either individual. That said, we sometimes hold individual sessions with each partner during the assessment phase, and occasionally when one person needs space to work through something separately.
What if my partner won't come to counselling?
This is common, and it isn't a dead end. Individual therapy can still shift a relationship — how you respond to conflict, what you tolerate, how you communicate. Some partners become willing once they see change rather than being asked to agree to it in advance.
How long does couples counselling take?
It varies with what you're working through. Couples addressing a specific issue often see meaningful change in 8 to 12 sessions. Rebuilding after a significant trust injury usually takes longer. We'll give you a realistic sense of scope after the assessment rather than committing you to something open-ended.
Is couples counselling covered by insurance in BC?
Often, yes — if your plan covers counselling by a CCC or RCC. Coverage for couples sessions specifically varies by insurer, so it's worth confirming with your provider. We provide receipts with the registration details insurers require.
Can we do couples counselling online, or do we need to be in the same room?
Online works well for couples therapy, and you don't have to be in the same physical location. Some couples join from one room; others connect separately when schedules or travel make that easier.
No pressure, no assessment on the first call — just a conversation about what's going on and whether we're the right fit.
Reviewed by Mohamad Shabib, MACP, CCC, RP(q) — Founder & Lead Therapist, TEO Counselling Services. Member, Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association.