Communication and recurring arguments
Understanding why certain conversations become difficult and exploring more constructive ways of responding.
Couples Therapy in Dubai
When conversations keep turning into arguments, or you feel further apart than you used to, it may be time to talk.
Relationships can go through difficult periods. Sometimes the same disagreements keep coming back. Sometimes communication becomes difficult, or you begin to feel that your partner no longer understands you.
Couples therapy with Gordon Shaw, a DHA-licensed Counselling Psychologist at Belle Vie Therapy & Wellness, offers a structured space to understand what is happening in your relationship and explore a way forward.
- Gottman Method Couples Therapy
- Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
Confidential appointments | Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Our Team
Meet Gordon Shaw
DHA-Licensed Counselling Psychologist
Gordon Shaw is a Counselling Psychologist at Belle Vie Therapy & Wellness in Dubai, with eight years of experience working with adults and couples.
He holds a Master's degree in Community-Based Counselling Psychology from South Africa and is trained in the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy.
His work focuses on relationship difficulties, emotional connection, attachment patterns, and the ways earlier experiences can affect how we relate to others.
Gordon brings a reflective, compassionate, and practical approach to sessions, helping couples explore difficult conversations while making space for both perspectives.
- Languages: English
How You May Be Feeling
Feeling Disconnected, Even When You're Trying to Make Things Work?
Not every relationship difficulty involves a major crisis.
Sometimes, it is the smaller things that gradually create distance.
- You keep having the same arguments without resolving anything.
- One of you wants to talk, while the other tends to withdraw.
- Small disagreements quickly become emotionally overwhelming.
- You feel unheard, criticised, or misunderstood.
- Trust has been affected by dishonesty or a difficult experience.
- You care about each other, but emotional or physical closeness has changed.
These patterns can be difficult to address when both partners are caught up in them.
Couples therapy offers a place to slow those conversations down and begin understanding them differently.
Areas of Support
How Can Couples Therapy Help?
Couples therapy is not about deciding who is right or wrong.
It is about understanding the patterns that develop between two people, how those patterns affect the relationship, and what each partner may need.
Working with Gordon, sessions may focus on:
Emotional connection
Looking at what has created distance and how each partner experiences closeness, reassurance, and support.
Trust and relationship difficulties
Creating space to discuss difficult experiences, including betrayal or broken trust, at an appropriate pace.
Intimacy and changing relationship needs
Exploring the emotional and relational factors affecting closeness, affection, and intimacy.
Major life transitions
Navigating changes such as becoming parents, relocation, career pressures, and shifts in individual or shared priorities.
Every relationship is different. The focus of therapy is guided by what both partners are experiencing and hoping to understand.
Our Approach
A Thoughtful, Evidence-Informed Approach to Couples Therapy
Gordon draws on two established approaches to relationship therapy.
Gottman Method Couples Therapy
The Gottman Method focuses on understanding how couples communicate, manage disagreements, develop trust, and maintain emotional connection.
It brings practical tools into therapy to help couples recognise unhelpful interaction patterns and approach difficult conversations more constructively.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
Emotionally Focused Therapy explores the emotions and attachment needs underneath recurring relationship difficulties.
For example, what looks like criticism may sometimes be connected to a need for reassurance. What looks like withdrawal may be a response to feeling overwhelmed.
Understanding these deeper emotional patterns can help couples make sense of why they react as they do.
Gordon uses these approaches according to the needs and circumstances of each couple, rather than applying the same process to everyone.
When Past Experiences Affect Present Relationships
Individual EMDR & Trauma Therapy
Sometimes, difficulties in a relationship are connected to experiences that began long before the relationship itself.
Past trauma, emotional neglect, painful relationships, or longstanding attachment patterns may influence how someone responds to conflict, closeness, or vulnerability.
Alongside couples therapy, Gordon also provides individual therapy for adults, including:
- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing)
- Trauma-focused psychotherapy
- Schema Therapy
- Attachment-focused therapy
These approaches may be considered when earlier experiences are contributing to present emotional or relationship difficulties.
Individual trauma therapy is a separate service, and suitability is discussed during an initial consultation.
The Process
What Can You Expect From Your First Couples Therapy Session?
Starting couples therapy can feel unfamiliar, particularly when you are unsure what to say or whether your partner will feel comfortable attending.
The initial session is an opportunity to understand the situation rather than rush into solutions.
01
Understanding your relationship
Gordon will explore what has brought you to therapy, the difficulties you are experiencing, and relevant relationship history.
02
Listening to both perspectives
Each partner has an opportunity to describe their experience and concerns.
03
Identifying the patterns
Together, you begin looking at recurring interactions, emotional responses, and areas of difficulty.
04
Discussing the next steps
Gordon will explain how therapy may proceed, what you might work on, and whether couples therapy is appropriate for your circumstances.
You do not need to arrive with everything worked out. The first session is a starting point.
Why Choose Belle Vie Therapy & Wellness?
Psychiatric And Psychological Care In One Place
Belle Vie provides mental health support in a professional, confidential and welcoming environment.
Patients benefit from:
- Licensed mental health professionals
- Psychiatry and psychology within the same clinic
- Coordinated care when different types of support are needed
- Confidential consultations
- In-person appointments in JLT, Dubai
- Online consultation options across the UAE
Client Experiences
What Our Clients Say
Google Review
★★★★★Very welcoming and incredibly calming atmosphere. I felt truly heard and supported from the very first session. Highly recommended for anyone.
Berkay Topçu
Google Review
★★★★★I would guess it is one of the most experienced psychology clinics in Dubai. Their academic background and professional approach to issues is truly remarkable.
Onur UZUN
Google Review
★★★★★Highly professional and helpful
Samrin Kibria
Visit Us
Couples Therapy in Dubai
Belle Vie Therapy & Wellness
Office 403, HDS Business Centre
Cluster M, JLT, Dubai
Consultation Options
- In-Person
- Online
Languages With Gordon
- English
Call: +971 04 564 6330
WhatsApp: +971 52 851 3967
Good To Know
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Couples therapy can be relevant to married and unmarried partners who want to understand or address difficulties in their relationship.
It is common for partners to feel differently about seeking support. You can contact the clinic to discuss your situation and whether an initial individual consultation may be appropriate.
Couples therapy is intended to explore both partners' experiences rather than assign blame. Gordon works to understand the relationship dynamics and maintain an appropriate therapeutic setting.
No. Some couples seek therapy when difficulties have become significant. Others attend because they have noticed recurring patterns, communication problems, or emotional distance that they want to address.
There is no fixed number that applies to every couple. This depends on the concerns involved, the goals of therapy, and how the work develops.
Sessions are handled according to professional confidentiality standards. Gordon can explain the confidentiality arrangements, including any limits or policies specific to couples therapy, at the outset.
You Can Start With a Conversation
You may already know what you want to address, or you may simply feel that something in your relationship needs attention.
You don't need to have all the answers before reaching out.
Speak with Belle Vie about arranging a couples therapy consultation with Gordon Shaw.
Contact Belle Vie Therapy & Wellness
Office 403, HDS Business Centre, Cluster M, JLT, Dubai
In-Person & Online Consultations