Therapy for Conflict in Relationships
Break the cycle of the same recurring fight. Therapy for conflict in relationships in Ottawa & online.
✓ Same-week ✓ Direct billing ✓ Sliding scale ✓ Licensed therapists
Book a free consultationBreak the cycle of the same recurring fight. Therapy for conflict in relationships in Ottawa & online.
✓ Same-week ✓ Direct billing ✓ Sliding scale ✓ Licensed therapists
Book a free consultationEvery clinician is registered with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) or the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW).
We want therapy to be financially accessible for everyone. Reduced rates are available case-by-case based on need and availability.
We submit directly to most major insurers, so you don't pay out of pocket upfront.
Our office is in Ottawa. All client records are stored in Canada and handled under PIPEDA and PHIPA.
Therapy is a space to slow down and look at what's underneath. These are some of the patterns people bring into the room.
FOR WHEN SOMETHING FEELS OFF
Different topic, same structure. One escalates, the other withdraws, nothing resolves — and then it happens again. You've wondered if this is just how it'll be.
After a fight, it used to take a day or two. Now it takes a week, sometimes longer. The ruptures are accumulating faster than the repairs.
A fight starts over something trivial — a tone, a forgotten thing — but the feeling underneath is huge. Something bigger is getting activated.
At Auren Wellness, we approach conflict work from two directions: the what and the why.
The Gottman Method research has identified specific behaviours that predict whether conflict is healthy or corrosive — patterns like criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling, which the research calls the “Four Horsemen.” We help couples recognize when these patterns show up and give them concrete alternatives. At the same time, we use EFT to understand the emotional structure underneath the conflict. Most recurring fights aren't about the content — they're about unmet attachment needs like feeling unseen, criticized, abandoned, or controlled.
Together, these approaches help couples break the cycle rather than just interrupting it temporarily. For many couples the shift isn't dramatic — it's noticing the pattern starting, having a different response available, and using it. For couples where communication is the central issue rather than conflict specifically, see our page on therapy for communication issues.
Email, phone, or fill out our booking form. There's no script and no pressure. You can share as much or as little as you want.
A real person, not a bot, will reply as soon as we can with a few options for a free 15-minute consultation.
We listen. You ask questions. No paperwork, no obligation. If we're not the right match, we'll point you toward someone who might be.
Direct billing where possible. Evening and weekend availability. Virtual or in-person in Ottawa.
Sessions are 50 minutes in length. Rates vary by therapist and are confirmed during your free consultation. We accept e-transfer and credit cards, and direct-bill most insurers.
Sliding-scale spots are available based on need. Ask during your free consultation.
Same 50-minute format, structured for two participants and shared concerns.
Registered Psychotherapist and Registered Social Worker services are covered by most extended health plans in Canada. We recommend confirming your specific coverage before your first paid session. Sun Life, Manulife, Canada Life, Green Shield, and most major insurers include coverage.
We direct-bill where your insurer allows it. Otherwise, you pay at the time of session and submit the receipt for reimbursement.
Every session generates a receipt listing the provider's license number, suitable for insurance reimbursement.
In-person sessions are held at our Ottawa office. Virtual sessions use a secure, PIPEDA-compliant video platform. You can switch between the two.
We ask for 24 hours notice on cancellations. Late cancellations and no-shows are charged the full session fee.
After the free 15-minute consultation, your first paid session is intake-focused. Bring questions, anything you have already tried, and any goals you have in mind.
QUESTIONS
Yes. All couples have conflict. The research is clear: it isn't the presence of conflict that distinguishes couples who stay together from those who don't, it's how conflict is handled. Couples who repair well, stay curious about each other even when upset, and don't let contempt take hold tend to fare significantly better than couples who avoid conflict altogether.
Therapy for conflict is not appropriate when there is physical violence or when one partner is afraid of the other. Those situations require different supports. If you're not sure whether what's happening rises to that level, a free consultation is a good place to start the conversation.
Yes. Emotional reactivity isn't fixed; it can change with the right combination of understanding and practice. Therapy helps people understand what triggers their reactivity — the underlying fear or wound — and gives them tools for responding differently in the moments that matter.
That's extremely common — most couples come in with different accounts of what's wrong. A good therapist doesn't pick a side. They help both partners articulate their experience clearly, look for what's underneath the disagreement, and find the shared interest beneath the surface conflict.
Therapy is a longer-term relationship. If you're in acute distress, please reach the services below first. They are free, confidential, and available right now.
