Couples therapy/relationship counselling

Maybe now is a time when you are struggling in your relationship, experiencing all sorts of painful feelings and wondering what to do next. Each relationship has good and bad times but when you feel you can’t cope any more, feel stuck, confused or lonely, it may be that you would benefit from talking to a couple therapist.

Talking in confidence to a therapist about how you are feeling and what you are going through, can help you and your partner understand what is going on, what your needs are and what you want to change in your relationship.

I can help with:

• communication difficulties/recurring conflict
• depression, anxiety and isolation
• trauma

Difficulties arising after painful events or a big life change such as-

• moving in together
• starting a family/parenting issues
• affairs
• separation/divorce
• retirement
• losing a job
• an illness/ death of a family member

First session (consultation)

It is a chance for you and your partner to tell me what you are struggling with in your relationship. You will both be given an opportunity to tell me when you think your difficulties started and what you think may be causing them. I will try to understand how each of you feels and what you think about the current situation.

It is also a time for you to tell me what you expect from couple therapy, ask any questions about the process and get a sense of how I work. At the end of the meeting, we will have an idea whether you may find couple therapy useful and whether we can work together.

Ongoing work

As with individuals I offer couples a safe, confidential and non-judgmental space, where we can explore together what has been troubling you and your partner. In the process of therapy, I will listen attentively to both of you and try to get to the underlying issues and to understand your patterns of behaviour. This in turn may help you to think more objectively about the presenting issues and see them from a different perspective and have a better understanding of your own and you partner’s feelings.