About RLT Marriage Counselling Meet Rick Martin and the Work Behind It
This Work Is About Patterns, Not Blame
Every couple that comes here arrives with a different story.
Different arguments.
Different histories.
Different breaking points.
But underneath, the pattern is often the same.
One partner pushes.
The other pulls back.
Both are reacting from something older than the relationship itself.
No one is the villain.
Both are running patterns they learned long before they met each other.
This work is about seeing those patterns clearly
and learning how to change them together.
What This Practice Is Built On
RLT Marriage Counselling is a Red Deer based practice focused exclusively on couples.
The work is grounded in Relational Life Therapy.
It is direct, practical, and focused on real change.
We are not here to circle the problem.
We are here to:
- understand what is actually happening between you
- interrupt the pattern that keeps repeating
- build skills that allow you to repair and reconnect
If you want to understand the model behind this work:
→
Learn more about Relational Life Therapy
How This Work Is Different
This is not general therapy.
Every session is focused on the relationship itself.
Not just how each person feels, but how you function together.
The work is:
- direct without being harsh
- honest without blame
- structured so you are not guessing what to do next
You are not just talking about your relationship.
You are learning how to show up in it differently.
Meet Rick Martin
This practice was built by Rick Martin, a certified Relational Life Therapy practitioner working exclusively with couples.
His work is shaped by:
- over 25 years in behavioural training
- extensive RLT training completed directly through the Relational Life Institute
- lived experience navigating long term relationships and stepfamily dynamics
Rick’s approach is direct, honest, and grounded in real life experience.
He will say the hard thing.
And he will say it in a way that helps you use it.
If you want to understand more about his background and how he works:
→
Meet Rick Martin
A Growing Practice
This work began as a solo practice.
It is now growing to include additional RLT trained coaches working within the same model and standards.
Every coach works within the same framework:
- Relational Life Therapy as the core method
- direct, skills based sessions
- a focus on real, observable change
If you would like to learn more about the team:
→ Meet the RLT Marriage Counselling team
How We Work With Couples
The focus is simple.
We work with what is happening between you in real time.
You will:
- see the pattern clearly
- understand your part in it
- learn how to respond differently
- practice that shift during the session
This is how the work moves faster and actually holds outside the room.
If you want to see the specific skills we focus on:
→
Explore RLT Relationship Skills
Where Sessions Happen
Sessions are available online across Alberta through secure Zoom.
If you are in Red Deer or central Alberta, in person sessions are available on select days.
All new clients begin with a free introductory session.
From there, we decide together what format fits best.
If you want to understand how sessions are structured:
→
See how virtual counselling sessions work
The Values Behind This Work
This work is grounded in a few core principles:
- No blame. Both people matter.
- Accountability without shame
- Direct conversations that lead somewhere
- Real change over long conversations
If you want to understand how these principles guide the work:
→
Read our guiding principles
Before You Go Further
If you’re still getting a sense of how everything fits together, start here:
→
See how the full process works on the Welcome page
Start With One Conversation
You do not need to have everything figured out before you begin.
Most couples arrive unsure of what will work.
That is part of the process.
The introductory session is where we sort that out together.
This work only matters if it works for you. Learn who I am, how I show up, and what makes this different and then decide if we’re the right fit.
