The Repair Deck

Common questions.

• Do I need a therapist to use this?

  No. The prompts are designed by a therapist for the two of you — alone, at home, at your own pace. The six-stage system does the heavy lifting. We did the thinking. You just show up.

  That said, The Repair Deck works beautifully alongside professional therapy. Many therapists use it as a between-session tool, and some couples find that what surfaces during the deck provides rich material to bring to their therapist.

  If at any point a prompt surfaces something that feels too big or overwhelming to sit with alone, we always encourage reaching out to a qualified mental health professional. Knowing when to ask for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

• Is this only for couples?

  Not at all. While The Repair Deck was designed with couples in mind, many of the prompts are profoundly valuable for individual use — especially for people who are doing personal healing work, processing a past relationship, or preparing themselves for a healthier future one.

  The self-reflection stages in particular (Stages 4 and 5) are just as powerful when used alone. Several customers have written to us about using the deck as a solo journaling framework with deeply moving results.

  Healing doesn't require two people — it just requires honesty.

• What if my partner won't engage with the deck?

  This is one of the most common concerns we hear, and it's completely understandable. Resistance to emotional work is almost never about the activity itself — it's usually about fear: of vulnerability, of conflict, or of what might come up.

  Our suggestion: start with Stage 1, which is intentionally light and grounded in appreciation. You might simply say "Can we try one card together?" rather than framing it as a therapeutic exercise. Many partners who were initially resistant became the biggest advocates after that first card.

  If resistance continues, the individual stages of the deck are genuinely valuable to use alone. Your own healing doesn't have to wait for another person's readiness.

• How many cards are in the deck?

  The Repair Deck contains over 100 clinically-grounded cards distributed across six progressive stages. Each card carries a single, carefully crafted prompt — no filler, no repetition.

  The number of cards in each stage varies intentionally. Stages designed for foundational work contain more prompts to allow deeper exploration before moving forward. Later stages — where the emotional terrain is more nuanced — may contain fewer cards but carry more weight.

• How long does each stage take?

  There is no set timeline, and this is by design. Healing cannot be scheduled. Some couples move through a full stage in a weekend. Others return to the same stage for months — and both experiences are entirely valid.

  A single card session can last anywhere from 20 minutes to two hours depending on where it takes you. We recommend resisting the urge to "get through" the deck quickly. The depth you find by slowing down is the whole point.

  You'll know you're ready to move to the next stage not when you've finished all the cards, but when the prompts begin to feel genuinely settled — when you can approach them with curiosity instead of anxiety.

• Is this evidence-based?

  Yes. The Repair Deck was built on three of the most rigorously researched frameworks in modern relationship and mental health science: Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), developed by Dr. Sue Johnson, with one of the highest evidence bases of any couples therapy modality; Gottman Method repair research, based on over 40 years of couples study; and Trauma-Informed Care principles that recognize how unresolved trauma shapes relationship behaviour.

  The deck was designed by Ibrahim Al Sadi — a Registered Nurse (RN) and Certified Nurse Psychotherapist (CNP) specializing in Mental Health and Trauma-Informed Care — who has applied these frameworks clinically with real patients. This is not a wellness product built on intuition. It's a clinical tool made accessible.

• What if we get emotionally triggered during a session?

  First: this is okay. Being emotionally activated during meaningful conversation is not a sign that something has gone wrong — it often means something important is being touched. Strong emotions are information, not emergencies.

  If you feel flooded (heart racing, shutting down, or feeling overwhelmed), the most therapeutic thing you can do is pause. Say "I need a moment" and take a 20-minute break before continuing. This is a Gottman-informed technique called "self-soothing" and it genuinely works.

  You can always set a card aside, return to a lighter stage, or end the session entirely. There is no failure in this work — only pacing.

• Do you ship internationally?

  Yes, we absolutely ship internationally — because healing should never be limited by borders.

  USA: 4–8 business days with full tracking. We take care of any tariffs upfront, so you won't need to pay a thing when your order arrives.

  Canada: Just 2 business days with full tracking. Nice and simple.

  Everywhere else: 7–27 business days with full tracking. We'll stay with you the whole way.

  No matter where you are, you'll receive full tracking details so you can watch your cards make their way to your door. We're honoured to ship to you, wherever home may be.

  A small note: Depending on your country's customs policies, you may be charged local duties or fees upon delivery. This is rare, but we want you to know upfront — just so there are no surprises.

• What's your return policy?

  Because we want you to love this deck — but we also need to be honest about how this works.

  Please reach out before sending anything back. If you're thinking about returning your deck, just email us first. Any package that shows up without a heads-up will not be accepted. We promise we're easy to reach — just ask.

  The deck must be unopened and unused. We can only accept returns if the deck is still sealed in its original packaging — not damaged, not opened, not used. If you've opened it, it's yours. But we hope you understand — and we hope the deck meets you exactly where you are.

  Something wrong with your deck? If anything is damaged, defective, or not what you ordered upon receipt, contact us right away with photos. We will make it right.

  Shipping returns is on you. You'll cover the return shipping cost. We recommend a trackable service. Once we receive it, we'll inspect and notify you — if approved, we refund the full deck price (not original shipping) to your payment method within 10 business days.