Many couples begin counselling when they notice recurring conflict, emotional distance, difficulty communicating, or a feeling that they have lost connection with one another. You do not need to be in crisis to seek support. Couples counselling can also help strengthen a relationship, deepen understanding and address patterns before they become more entrenched. In my experience the couples who come earlier, while there is still goodwill in the room, tend to find the work moves more quickly.

Yes. I work with couples attending together, as well as individuals wanting to better understand themselves and their relationships. Some people seek support around relationship patterns, preparing for a future relationship, navigating separation, or understanding their role within relational difficulties. Individual relationship counselling follows the same attachment-informed frame as couples work, with the focus on your own history and ways of relating.

This is very common. Often one person feels more ready to seek support than the other. We can begin with whoever is willing to attend and explore the concerns, hopes or uncertainty around counselling. Sometimes this process can help create a pathway towards greater openness and engagement. A reluctant partner is usually not indifferent, more often they are protecting themselves from something they expect to happen in the room.

The first session is an opportunity to understand what has brought you to therapy, what you would like to be different, and the patterns that may be contributing to difficulties. We will explore your relationship history, each person's perspective and the ways you currently respond to one another, while creating a foundation for the work ahead. Most couples leave the first session with a clearer sense of the cycle they are caught in, which is often the first shift in itself.

Sessions run for either 50 or 80 minutes. Many couples choose the 80-minute session, particularly early on, because it allows both partners time to speak and for the work to reach some resolution before the session closes. Most couples begin weekly or fortnightly, then move to a wider spacing as things settle. The rhythm is something we decide together rather than a fixed program.

This varies considerably depending on what has brought you to therapy and how long the difficulties have been present. Some couples come for a focused piece of work over six to eight sessions. Others, particularly where there has been a betrayal or where patterns are long-standing, work over a longer period. We review progress as we go, and you are never committed to a set number of sessions.

My work is attachment-informed and emotionally focused, drawing primarily on Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), alongside psychodynamic, PACT-informed and narrative approaches. This means looking beneath surface-level conflict to understand the emotional needs, protective patterns and experiences that shape how people connect with one another. Rather than teaching communication techniques in isolation, the work is about understanding why communication breaks down in the first place.

I hold a Master of Counselling specialising in couple and relationship therapy, and I am a registered member of the Australian Counselling Association (member R84853). I completed the Specialist Course in Integrative Couples Therapy through Relationships Australia Victoria, including supervised clinical practice with couples, and I am a registered Prepare/Enrich facilitator. Couples work is a distinct specialisation rather than an extension of individual counselling, and my training has been specifically in working with the relationship as the client.

No. Medicare rebates are not available for counselling with ACA-registered counsellors, and relationship counselling is not covered under a Mental Health Care Plan even when provided by a registered psychologist. This applies across the profession rather than to my practice specifically. Some private health funds offer rebates for counselling with ACA-registered members, so it is worth checking directly with your fund about your level of cover.

Sessions are $220 for 50 minutes and $260 for 80 minutes. The Prepare/Enrich program is offered as a structured relationship assessment and education package. If you are unsure what type of support is right for you, a free 15-minute consultation is a good place to start.

Relationship Practice is located on Mansfield Street in Thornbury, a short distance south of Preston along the High Street corridor. For most parts of Preston it is a five to ten minute drive, and the 86 tram runs directly down High Street from Preston through Thornbury. Many people choose to travel a short distance to work with a therapist who specialises specifically in couples and relationship counselling. Online sessions are also available across Australia.

No. Couples counselling is not about deciding who is right or wrong. The focus is on understanding the patterns that develop between people, making space for both experiences and supporting new ways of responding that create greater connection and understanding. If one partner feels the therapist has sided against them, the therapy stops working, so holding both experiences is not just fair, it is what makes the work possible.

Yes, and it is one of the most common reasons couples come to see me. The work involves making sense of what happened, attending to the injury itself rather than moving past it quickly, and rebuilding trust at a pace that is honest about the damage done. Recovery is possible for many couples, though it takes time and both partners need to be willing to stay in the difficulty. Therapy does not assume the relationship should continue, only that the decision deserves to be made with clarity.

Couples counselling can support you whether you are trying to repair the relationship or working out whether to stay in it. Some couples arrive genuinely undecided, and the work is about understanding what has happened rather than pushing towards a particular outcome. Where a couple does decide to separate, therapy can support that process being handled with care, which matters enormously if you are parenting together.

Yes. I am a registered Prepare/Enrich facilitator, which is a structured relationship assessment used with couples who are engaged, considering commitment, or simply wanting to understand their relationship more clearly. Both partners complete an assessment separately, and we then work through the results together across several sessions. It is a useful option for couples who are not in difficulty but want to build on solid ground.

Possibly. Couples who have had an unhelpful experience often describe sessions that became a referee match, or that focused on communication skills without addressing what was driving the conflict underneath. Couples therapy is a distinct specialisation, and a therapist trained specifically in couples work approaches the room differently to one whose primary training is individual. It is worth raising your previous experience early so we can look at what was missing.

Yes. Sessions are available in person at my Thornbury practice and online via secure telehealth for clients across Australia. Online works well for many couples, particularly where shift work, young children or travel make a regular in-person time difficult. Some couples attend together from the same room, others join from separate locations.

Yes. What you share is kept confidential within the limits set out by law and professional ethical guidelines. These boundaries will be explained clearly at the beginning of therapy. Creating a private and trustworthy space is an important part of the therapeutic process.

The simplest way to begin is a free 15-minute consultation, which is a chance to describe what is happening and ask whether this approach is likely to suit you. There is no obligation to book a session afterwards. You can get in touch through the contact form on this site, and I will usually respond within one business day.