Not at all. Plenty of couples get in touch while things still feel workable, when there is distance, tension or a quiet sense of drifting rather than open conflict. Working on a relationship earlier, before patterns settle in, is often where counselling does its most useful work.

Both are welcome. I see couples working on their relationship together, and I also see individuals who want to make sense of how they relate to others, whether or not they are currently partnered. It is not unusual to start on your own and bring a partner in later, once the time feels right.

Yes, and this comes up often. One person is usually further along than the other. We can begin with whoever feels ready, and the hesitation itself is worth paying attention to, since it usually says something about what is happening between you.

EFT is an evidence-based couples approach developed by Dr Sue Johnson and grounded in attachment, the science of how we bond and feel safe with the people closest to us. Rather than teaching communication scripts, it works with the emotions and cycles that keep partners stuck, helping you understand the pattern you fall into and build a more secure connection underneath it. It is one of the most extensively researched couples therapies available.

Psychologists are registered with AHPRA, can assess and diagnose mental health conditions, and may attract a Medicare rebate with a GP referral. Counsellors are registered through professional bodies such as the Australian Counselling Association rather than AHPRA, and the focus is relational and emotional support rather than diagnosis. For couples work specifically, the qualification that matters most is not the title but whether the practitioner has genuine specialist training in working with two people and the relationship between them.

Working with a couple is a different skill from working with one person, because the client is really the relationship in the room, and much of the general training in counselling and psychology is built around individual work. Sitting with two people, holding both perspectives at once and working with the cycle between them takes dedicated preparation. My training is couples-specific, including a Master of Counselling in the couples stream and the Specialist Course in Integrative Couples Therapy through Relationships Australia Victoria.

My work is grounded in attachment and centres on Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), with psychodynamic, PACT-informed and narrative threads running through it. Rather than applying a set method, I follow the emotional patterns sitting underneath what brings you in.

No. This work is not about deciding who is at fault. The focus stays on the pattern moving between you, so each person feels understood and you can both find new ways of responding to one another.

Prepare/Enrich is a widely used, evidence-based relationship assessment that maps a couple's strengths and growth areas across communication, expectations, finances and more. You each complete an online questionnaire, and we then work through your results together over a series of structured sessions. It suits couples preparing for a bigger commitment as well as established partners wanting to strengthen their footing, and I offer it as a registered facilitator.

The first session is mostly about getting a shared picture of what has brought you in and what you would each like to be different. There is no pressure to have it all worked out, and part of the session is simply seeing how it feels to work together. If you would like a sense of fit beforehand, a free 15-minute consultation is an easy first step.

This varies, and it depends on what you are working through and what you are hoping for. Some couples come for a focused piece of work over a handful of sessions, while others stay longer to shift patterns that have been in place for years. EFT tends to unfold over a course of sessions rather than a single visit, and we review how things are going together as we go.

A 50-minute session is $220 and an 80-minute session is $260. The Prepare/Enrich program is offered as a package. If you are not sure which option fits, a free 15-minute call is an easy way to begin.

Relationship and couples counselling is generally not covered by Medicare, since Medicare's mental health rebates apply to individual treatment of a diagnosed condition and counsellors are not Medicare providers. Some private health funds offer a rebate on counselling depending on your fund and level of extras cover, so it is worth checking directly with your insurer. I am an ACA-registered counsellor, which some funds ask about when assessing eligibility.

Yes. What you bring is held in confidence, within the limits set by law and professional ethics, which I go through with you at the start. A private, steady space is part of what makes the work possible.

Yes. You can see me in person at my Thornbury practice in Melbourne's inner north, or online by secure telehealth from anywhere in Melbourne, wider Victoria or across Australia. Many clients mix the two depending on the week.