Couples Counselling & Relationship Therapy in Thornbury
A dedicated practice for couples and individuals navigating the complexities of intimate relationships. Based in Thornbury on Mansfield Street, with secure telehealth available across Melbourne and Australia-wide.
When Couples Seek Counselling
- Having the same arguments over and over, without ever feeling heard or understood
- Feeling more like housemates or co-parents than partners
- Feeling emotionally disconnected, even when you are still close in other ways
- Changes in desire, sexual connection or physical affection
- Recovering from an affair or breach of trust
- Wondering whether the relationship can continue, and wanting clarity before making decisions
- Trying to navigate separation while continuing to parent together
- Differences around parenting, stepfamilies or the demands of family life
- Finding that old wounds, family patterns or past experiences are affecting the relationship
- Exploring or renegotiating open relationships, ethical non-monogamy or polyamory
- Understanding how neurodivergence affects communication, connection and everyday life together
- Navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, addiction, grief or other major life changes within the relationship
Stephanie Schiftan
Couples & Relationship Therapist
I came to counselling through a winding path, through classrooms and creative spaces, and both continue to shape the way I work. My background in Fine Arts gave me a deep attunement to how meaning is made and expressed. My years in education taught me to pay close attention to how people make sense of themselves and the world. That curiosity and attentiveness sits at the heart of how I practise.
I hold a Master of Counselling (Couples Stream) and trained as a couples therapist at Relationships Australia Victoria, completing the Specialist Course in Integrative Couples Therapy and my supervised clinical hours there. I am a member of the Australian Counselling Association.
I work with couples and individuals across all relationship stages. I am interested in the ways people try to stay connected, make sense of difficulty, and navigate the tensions that arise in close relationships. LGBTQIA+ clients and diverse relationship structures are warmly welcomed.
Specialist Couples Counselling in Thornbury
When a relationship feels stuck, it can be difficult to know what to do next. Couples often seek counselling when they are caught in recurring conflict, feeling emotionally disconnected, struggling with intimacy or trust, or uncertain about the future of their relationship.
Some couples arrive after a significant rupture or period of crisis. Others have gradually noticed a growing distance between them, or find themselves having the same conversations and arguments without getting anywhere. Counselling can provide a space to understand what is happening between you and begin creating different ways of relating.
My approach is grounded in attachment-informed and integrative couples therapy. Rather than focusing on who is right or wrong, we explore the emotional and relational patterns that keep couples stuck, and work towards greater understanding, security and connection.
Relationship Practice is located on Mansfield Street in Thornbury, with couples counselling available in person or via secure telehealth.
How We Can Work Together
Couples & Relationship Counselling
A space for couples to slow down, understand recurring patterns, and work with the emotional processes shaping distance, conflict or disconnection.
Learn more →Individual Counselling
For individuals seeking to better understand themselves in relationship, including attachment patterns, relational difficulties and intimacy concerns.
Learn more →Prepare/Enrich
A structured assessment-based program supporting couples to strengthen communication, alignment and long-term relational foundations.
Learn more →