Relational Life Therapy (RLT)

Created by Terrence Real, Relational Life Therapy (RLT) is a radical approach to couples counselling that breaks many rules of traditional therapy. In RLT the therapist won’t be neutral, they will take sides and tell people what to do- and what the consequences will be if they don’t take action.

Unlike traditional couples counselling where a therapist tends to not directly address behaviours or tries to help ease disruptive individuals into the process or make it more palatable for them, a relational life therapist may make therapy as uncomfortable as possible for people who persist in disruptive behaviours. RLT therapists address issues and behaviours in a clear and direct way, without shaming the persons seeking help.

Relational Life Therapy equips people with the lifelong skills to forge more authentic, honest, and intimate connections. Perhaps more importantly it deals with the part of you that won’t use them. The approach is based on the belief that our culture and society deprives people of necessary relational skills and have since childhood. It considers the history of attachment to the family of origin, the history of trauma, and relational skills that each member of the couple has.

Relational Life Therapy takes the previous patriarchal framework of marriage and teaches an effective method based on mutual empathy and support. Counsellors will encourage people to develop assertiveness and the skills that are necessary to achieve intimacy, passion, and unity. RLT allows you to go deep and understand the negative patterns in your relationship and can have quick, rich, and meaningful results.