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The Couples Clinic is home to two Certified Gottman Therapists and registered Psychologists who specialise in marital and relationship therapy. The Gottman Method is the gold standard approach to relationship counselling. Our Principal Psychologists, Kasia Gordon and Brett Somers have completed the highest level of therapeutic training and accreditation with The Gottman Institute. Additionally, both are trauma-informed and have undertaken rigorous training in Emotion Focused Therapy for Couples (EFT-C), Schema Therapy for Couples (ST-C) and additional training and development based on their personal preferences.
Your Certified Gottman Therapist (CGT) will predominantly use The Gottman Method interventions and blend across therapeutic modalities from there to best formulate and target our approach for each relationship. Therapy is a process-oriented, cognitive, and emotionally focused approach to your unique relationship dynamics. You both will develop a range of fresh insights, tools, skills, and experiences that will promote improved communication, intimacy, connection, and conflict resolution.
As inclusive and affirming practitioners, The Couples Clinic have achieved remarkable success working with couples of all presentations and complexities. Both Kasia and Brett are highly regarded in The Gottman Institute and couples therapy space within Australia.
Marital and relationship therapy is an investment in time and money. Your therapist is highly experienced to fast-track your treatment progress based on a thorough formulation of treatment needs and timing. While we are based in sunny Queensland, Australia, we provide couples therapy nationwide and across the globe via online consultations.
We have provided the following information to best inform what might best suit your relationship needs.
An assessment phase precedes all couples therapy at The Couples Clinic. This includes the confidential completion of clinical online assessments (including their cost) by each partner, followed by a 2hr joint interview with both (all) parties (60mins) to discuss the history of your relationship and what has changed over time, followed by individual interviews (30mins per partner). These individual sessions give you the opportunity to speak confidentially about your personal history and relationship goals. Your therapist will recommend the most appropriate treatment process following the initial assessment and diagnostic phase of therapy.
(1) Benchmark Couples Therapy
Extensive research has been undertaken on the effectiveness of relationship therapy. The outcome from this research supports that the more intensive the therapeutic intervention, the greater the outcomes for couples. Evidence informs our practice and our approach to marital and relationship counselling and is the rationale for how we structure our treatment phase.
Blended Couples Therapy strikes a balance between benchmark couples therapy and immersive therapy. This type of therapy will seek to integrate a series of intensive half/ full-day sessions upfront, followed by regular 2hr sessions until a couple is experiencing relationship improvement. This approach is most useful for couples who are needing a flexible approach to couples counselling with periods of more intensive treatment to fast-track relationship improvement.
(3) Immersive (Marathon) Therapy
Immersive (Marathon) Therapy is fast becoming one of the most popular and successful approaches to helping couples through a relationship crisis. It is an approach most suited to couples presenting with relationship distress and difficulties taking time away from work / parenting/ shifts, etc.
Immersive Therapy usually consists of 2 days of intense, structured, evidence-based couple’s therapy within a short period of time (i.e. within weeks). Follow up sessions are typically scheduled to ensure the couple are tracking well according to their treatment goals and timeframes.
Rebates for Couples Therapy Sessions
If you have Private Health Insurance, please check with your insurer regarding rebates. The item number for relationship therapy is 300. Please note that Medicare does not currently provide rebates for couples or marital therapy.
Individual Therapy Fees & Referrals
The Couples Clinic accepts clients seeking individual therapy for certain presentations (see overview here). You do not require a referral to access private psychology sessions. If you have a private health fund, please contact them to understand if / what rebates may be provided under Item number 100. If you choose to engage a psychologist under a GP Mental Health Care Plan (GP MHCP), such a referral allows for up to 10 (initial 6 +4 re-referral) rebated sessions per calendar year for individual sessions.
Payments Processing
All payments at The Couples Clinic are automated and we are a virtual practice, meaning all appointments are online. We will collect confidential payment details via our secure online intake forms prior to any consultations. Halaxy is our practice management software platform. All payment and health data is stored electronically on Halaxy and thus protected by bank-grade security and encryption.
Payment for the assessment phase and any immersive therapy option is required in full prior to any appointments being scheduled. Payment for treatment and maintenance sessions are automated to be deducted 30 minutes into your session. All payments are required in full at the time of your consultation, including any late cancellation or missed appointment fees. An overview of our cancellation policy can be accessed here.
Crisis Support Resources
Please note, our service is not a crisis support service and our team are available online by appointment only. If your matter is non-urgent and important to obtain advice around, please schedule an appointment time with your General Practitioner (GP) or health specialist to discuss. Alternate crisis support contacts are listed here.
