TRAUMA CARE PSYCHOLOGY
High Conflict Couples Therapy in Ontario
Struggling with high conflict in your relationship? Learn to navigate intense conflict and emotional reactivity together, learning skills to manage stress, communicate effectively, and restore trust in your relationship.
Our High Conflict Couples Therapy Program
A structured, DBT-based approach designed for couples experiencing frequent, intense conflicts. It aims to reduce emotion dysregulation and improve relationship satisfaction by involving both partners in the healing process.
Program Overview
Stage 1: Assessment & Orientation – Understand relationship patterns and set therapy goals.
Stage 2: Emotional Regulation & Safety Skills – Learn strategies to manage intense emotions safely.
Stage 3: Communication & Validation Skills – Practice expressing feelings and validating each other.
Stage 4: Conflict Management & Problem-Solving – Break destructive cycles and solve problems collaboratively.
Stage 5: Relational Growth & Maintenance – Strengthen trust, intimacy, and maintain healthy relationship skills.
When is High Conflict Couples Therapy Recommended?
Traditional couples therapy can fall short for high-conflict couples and, in some cases, may even increase distress or conflict during sessions. This is because traditional approaches often focus on communication tools, while the core issue in high-conflict relationships is usually intense emotional reactivity rather than a lack of communication skills. High-Conflict Couples Therapy is recommended for couples who:
Experience frequent, intense arguments or emotional outbursts
Feel stuck in repetitive, destructive conflict cycles
Struggle with trust, intimacy, or emotional connection
Have difficulty managing strong emotions during disagreements
Want a structured, evidence-based approach to improve their relationship and reduce conflict
This therapy is ideal for couples ready to learn skills for emotional regulation, healthy communication, and long-term relationship stability.
Benefits:
Improved emotional regulation
Enhanced communication and understanding
Increased intimacy and trust
Reduced frequency and intensity of conflicts
High-Conflict Couple Therapy often lasts 12–20 sessions and has been shown to be effective in helping couples navigate the challenges of high-conflict dynamics, leading to better outcomes for both individuals and their relationships.
Who this Program is For?
This therapy is designed for couples who:
Experience frequent, intense conflict that impacts their relationship
Struggle with emotional reactivity or difficulty regulating strong feelings
Want to break destructive patterns and improve communication
Are committed to working together to strengthen trust, intimacy, and connection
Seek a structured, evidence-informed approach to manage high-conflict situations
This program is ideal for couples ready to learn skills to navigate conflict safely, rebuild their relationship, and create lasting emotional stability.
High-Conflict Couples Therapy was developed to address the unique challenges faced by couples stuck in cycles of intense conflict and emotional reactivity. Traditional couples therapies often fall short for these couples because the core issue is poor emotion regulation, not just communication. This structured, skills-based program uses DBT-informed strategies to help couples manage intense emotions, de-escalate conflicts, and rebuild trust and connection. Emphasizing safety, emotional regulation, and practical relational skills, the program empowers couples to break destructive patterns and work toward healthier, more resilient relationships.
Preliminary research shows high-conflict couples therapy can reduce destructive conflict, improve emotional regulation, and strengthen relationship satisfaction by using DBT-informed strategies.
How High Conflict Couples Therapy Helps
This program helps couples affected by Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) work together to manage symptoms, improve communication, and strengthen emotional connection. The program provides a structured, evidence-informed approach that engages both partners in the healing process.
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Both partners participate together, fostering mutual understanding and support. Sometimes one-on-one work is done within a session to work on specific issues.
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Couples learn communication strategies, emotion regulation techniques, and methods to manage stress.
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The therapy includes exercises to increase awareness and presence during interactions.
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Partners are taught to acknowledge and accept each other's feelings and perspectives.
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Couples work on identifying and changing patterns that contribute to conflict.
Getting Started
Starting therapy is simple and supportive:
Get in Touch
Book a Free 20-minute consultation to see if Regular Couples Therapy or a Couples Therapy Intensive is right for you in the link below. You can also email us directly at admin@traumacarepsychology.ca or call us at (647) 456-7500.Intake forms
Complete the online intake forms that we will send to you after the consultation call which help your therapist learn more about you.Joint First Assessment
The first one hour session is designed to gather information about the relationship dynamic so your therapist can create a personalized plan for the treatment based on the needs of your relationship.Individual Assessments
You will meet individually with your therapist so they can learn about previous history, mental health needs, and emotional patterns to learn. This will help them formulate a plan for the intensive that takes into account both of your needs.Begin your customized experience
You and your therapist will create an outline of the treatment plan based on information collected during the assessment. Collaboratively, you will decide which format is the best fit.
Contact Us
Fill out the information below, and our intake coordinator will be in contact shortly.
HOURS
Monday-Friday
11 AM - 7 PM*
*Individual therapists’ availability may differ
LOCATION
3250 Bloor Street W. 6th floor, Suite 675
Toronto (Etobicoke), ON, M8Z 2X9
IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL THERAPY AVAILABLE
