Services

Couples therapy has a structured initial phase, building a comprehensive understanding of you and your relationship. To use a physical analogy, we are ensuring we are not so distracted by some blood on a knee that we use a bandaid to treat a broken leg.

The first step of the initial phase is a 90 minute session.This allows me sufficient time to understand the problems or changes you are coming to therapy for, and lets you ask any questions you have so you may decide if I’m the right practitioner for you.

The initial 90 minute session is $345. Medicare does not offer rebates for couples therapy. Some private health funds do.

You are feeling stuck or unheard, or you don’t know how to communicate around an issue

Discussions turn to arguments or arguments seem to happen quickly and you don’t know how to communicate more helpfully

Something damaging has occurred, either recently or long ago - an infidelity/betrayal, a death, a difficult interaction with extended family, a diagnosis/illness

You or your partner are doing something that is negatively impacting the relationship - work habits, the way alcohol or drugs are being used, parenting differences

You feel like friends or housemates, not true partners - there is a lack of intimacy

Life is good but you want to start talking about the next thing - becoming parents, retiring, etc.

You are considering ending the relationship and want to see if change is possible instead

You have big feelings coming up in the relationship and don’t know how to deal with this, internally or with your partner

Your partner seems to be struggling and you don’t know how to help them

Past difficult stuff in your life is coming up in the relationship and you aren’t sure how to deal with it, or how to help your partner to do so

You are in a relatively new committed relationship and want to co-create something different than the relationships have experienced or seen to date, or perhaps you’re getting married

You have tried couples counselling or therapy before but want to give it another go

Any type of therapy can feel daunting. Most of us have been brought up to be self-sufficient and don’t want to talk to a stranger about our private issues. In most of the couples I help there will be one person who is keen to go to therapy and another that is reluctant.

When asking your partner if they will go the couples therapy with you, remember to let them know that you are wanting to make the relationship better. Couples therapy is about positive relational change and growth, not blame. Relationships can be hard, and problems don’t just resolve themselves. Going to a professional for help makes sense.

If your partner is not open to reaching out for some more relationship skills to help you both, then doing individual therapy is your best option. Seek a therapist that practices couples-sensitive individual therapy.