Rick Martin
Your RLT Couples Counsellor

This Work Is Personal

I did not come to this work through theory.

I came to it in the middle of my own relationship breaking down.

Not my first. Not my second. My third.

I remember standing in my kitchen, looking at everything I had built, and realizing I was about to lose it again.

Not because I didn’t care.

Because I didn’t know how to do this differently.

What Changed

What I found was Relational Life Therapy.

Not another way to talk about the problem.
A way to actually change what was happening between us.

It was direct.
It was uncomfortable at times.
And it worked.

Not just in theory. In my relationship.

It changed how I showed up, how I listened, and how I took responsibility for my part in the pattern.

That is what I bring into this work.

If you want to understand the model behind it:
→ Understand the Relational Life Therapy approach

My Background

I bring more than 25 years of experience in behavioural health and human development.

I have completed over 500 hours of training in Relational Life Therapy directly through the Relational Life Institute, studying under Dr. Terry Real.

More important than any credential, I bring lived experience.

I know what it feels like to:

• repeat the same argument and not know how to stop it
• feel misunderstood inside your own relationship
• question whether things can actually change

This work is not abstract to me.

How I Work With Couples

My approach is direct and honest.

I will say the hard thing.
And I will say it in a way that helps you use it.

There is no blame here.
There is no shaming.

There is also no avoiding what is actually happening.

We focus on:

• identifying the pattern between you
• understanding how each of you contributes to it
• learning how to respond differently in real time

This is not about talking in circles.

It is about changing how you show up with each other.

If you want to see the principles that guide this work:
→ Read the guiding principles

The Kind of Work I Do

I work exclusively with couples.

That includes:

• ongoing relationship work
• rebuilding trust after rupture
• stepfamily and blended family dynamics
• couples preparing for long term commitment
• couples in moments of crisis who need clarity quickly

Every session is built around one thing:

Helping you build a relationship that actually works in real life.

A Note on Experience

I am not removed from this work.

I am in it.

My relationship with my partner has gone through the same kind of pressure many couples face.

We have done this work ourselves.

That matters.

Because when I sit with you, I am not guessing.

I understand what it takes to stay, to repair, and to rebuild something that holds.

This Work Is Not Passive

If you are looking for someone to simply listen and reflect, this may not be the right fit.

If you are willing to:

• look honestly at your part
• hear hard truths without shutting down
• practice something different

Then this work can move quickly and meaningfully.

Before You Decide

If you want to understand how this practice works as a whole:
→ Learn more about RLT Marriage Counselling

Start With a Real Conversation

You do not need to be fully decided before reaching out.

Most couples are not.

The introductory session is where we figure out:

• what is actually happening
• what is getting in the way
• whether this work is the right next step

→ Book your free introductory session