Relationship and Couples Counselling

From the outset of relationship and couples therapy, we seek to understand the causes of relationship dissatisfaction, distress or disconnection.

Following this, we tailor a treatment program which will exclusively benefit the couple. All couples are different. It is therefore important to tailor the right treatment before commencing relationship counselling.

It is also important to choose a therapist who is experienced and well-trained in diagnosing concerns and implementing appropriate strategies to resolve these.

Generally speaking, the therapeutic experience can be broken down into three parts: the Assessment Phase; Treatment Phase; and Maintenance Phase.

What to expect when starting relationship counselling

Assessment Phase

Developing a thorough understanding of what a couple needs from therapy is essential.

Assessment and planning is undertaken initially, to determine treatment requirements as well as suitability for couples therapy.

Assessment and treatment planning involves a series of online questionnaires, as well as two-hours with your clinician, which is made up of joint and individual meetings.

Undertaking meticulous assessment allows our clinicians to properly support a couple by developing a treatment plan specifically tailored for them.

Treatment Phase

Following the assessment phase, your practitioner will determine and recommended the most appropriate and professionally suitable treatment program for your relationship.

Treatment frequency and duration will depend on the core relationship issues, and the couple’s presenting concerns.

Treatment recommendations vary. Typically, treatment sessions will consist of either, or a mixture of, two-hours consultations, or more intensive therapeutic sessions (half-day / full-day).

If treatment is not appropriate or not clinically recommended, your practitioner will assist in providing more appropriate referral options, which may be to an alternate agency.

Maintenance Phase

Engaging in couples therapy is an investment of time, money, and a lot emotional energy.

Once your therapist, and you, have seen a consistent improvement and enhanced relationship satisfaction, therapy moves into a maintenance phase.

To ensure the hard work and investment was worth it, maintenance therapy is recommended to prevent relapse.

Maintenance sessions typically move from monthly consults, to three-monthly, and ensuring continued maintenance of progress, six and twelve monthly meetings are recommended before closure.

For more information regarding service fees, please view here

The Couples Clinic therapists have been intensively trained in Gottman Marital Therapy and other leading evidence-based therapeutic techniques, including Emotionally-Focused Couples Therapy and Schema Therapy for Couples.

Marriage and relationship counselling is also beneficial for those looking to enrich their relationship, and is not solely focused on crises and the repair of poor conflict management. Couples engage our therapists for a variety of reasons. These include:

Conflict and poor communication

Relationship neglect

Loss of love or friendship

Lack of intimacy

Affairs and infidelity

Difficulties adjusting to parenthood

Managing mental health issues for one or both partners

Pre-marital check-ups

Controlling behaviour

Sexual problems and dysfunction

Marriage makeovers

Anger management issues

Problems with parenting your children

Issues managing external family dynamics

Managing through a separation