Couples Counselling & Relationship Therapy in Melbourne
A dedicated, specialist practice for couples and individuals navigating the complexities of intimate relationships. Based in Thornbury, supporting clients across Melbourne, with secure telehealth available Australia-wide.
Stephanie Schiftan
Couples & Relationship Therapist
MCouns (Couples) · ACA Member · Specialist Course in Integrative Couples Therapy (RAV) · Accredited Prepare/Enrich Facilitator · GradDipEd · BFA (Hons)
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.
What Brings People to Relationship Counselling
I support people experiencing:
- Recurring conflict, and communication that keeps breaking down
- Emotional disconnection, and a growing sense of distance
- Intimacy, desire and sexual connection
- Betrayal, infidelity and rebuilding trust
- Uncertainty about whether to stay in the relationship
- Separation, and separating well when there are children involved
- Parenting conflict and blended family dynamics
- Attachment patterns and longstanding relational difficulty
- Navigating ethical non-monogamy, open relationships and polyamory
- Neurodivergence in relationships
- The relational impact of anxiety, depression, trauma or addiction
- Grief, loss and major life transitions
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 research-based program for couples preparing for or deepening commitment, helping you understand each other more fully and build strong foundations together.
Learn more →
Not sure which is the right fit?
Book a free 15-minute consultation and we can talk it through.
A Dedicated Practice for Relationships
Relationships ask something of us. They bring us into contact with love and belonging, but also with uncertainty, vulnerability and the patterns we have learned over a lifetime. At times those patterns create closeness. At other times they leave us feeling misunderstood, disconnected or caught in ways of relating that no longer serve us.
People come here at many different points. Some are in the midst of a crisis. Others have noticed a quiet distance growing between them, are navigating a significant life transition, or carry the sense that something important has been lost and would like to find their way back to it. Others come as individuals wanting to better understand the relationships that shape their lives.
The work begins with curiosity. Rather than asking who is right or wrong, therapy invites a deeper understanding of the emotional and relational processes unfolding between people. As new understanding develops, different ways of relating become possible, creating greater connection, resilience and capacity, not only for the challenges you are facing now, but for the relationships you will continue to build throughout your life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do we need to be in crisis to start counselling?
No. Many people come when things feel uncertain, distant or strained rather than at a breaking point. Counselling can also support relationships, and individuals, wanting to understand their patterns and strengthen connection before difficulties become more entrenched.
Do you work with individuals as well as couples?
Yes. I work with couples navigating their relationship together, and with individuals wanting to understand themselves and the way they relate, whether or not they are currently partnered. One boundary I hold for ethical reasons: I do not see someone for ongoing individual therapy while also seeing them in couples work, as holding both roles can compromise the neutrality the couples work depends on. Some people begin individually and later move into couples work with a partner; when that happens, the individual work concludes, and if ongoing individual support is needed I can refer you to a trusted colleague.
What if my partner isn't sure about coming?
This is very common, and one partner often feels more ready than the other. We can begin with whoever is willing to attend, and make space for the hesitation itself, which is frequently part of what is happening in the relationship.
What approach do you use?
My work is attachment-informed and emotionally focused, drawing primarily on Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), alongside psychodynamic, narrative and neurobiologically informed approaches. In practice this means paying attention to the emotional patterns beneath what brings you to therapy, rather than working from a fixed technique.
Will you take sides or decide who is right?
No. The work is not about assigning blame. It focuses on understanding the patterns between you, so that both perspectives can be heard and new ways of responding can emerge.
What happens in a first session?
The first session is largely about understanding what has brought you in and what each of you is hoping for. There is nothing to prepare beforehand, and you will not be asked to open up faster than feels right. By the end, you should have a clearer sense of how the work might unfold and whether it feels like the right fit for you.
How many sessions will we need?
It depends on what you are bringing and what you are hoping to shift. Some people come for a focused piece of work over a handful of sessions, while others stay longer to change patterns that have been in place for years. We discuss what feels realistic early on, and there is no fixed course you are committing to.
What are your fees?
Sessions are $280 for 80 minutes and $220 for 50 minutes. Many couples choose the longer session so there is room to slow down and go deeper. The Prepare/Enrich program is offered as a package of three sessions for $650. If you are unsure what suits you, a free 15-minute consultation is a good place to start.
Can we claim a Medicare or private health rebate?
Sessions are not eligible for Medicare rebates, as I practise as a counsellor rather than a registered psychologist, and couples counselling generally sits outside Medicare regardless. Some private health funds provide limited cover for counselling depending on your level of extras, so it is worth checking directly with your fund. I am a member of the Australian Counselling Association.
Is there a free consultation before we begin?
Yes. A free 15-minute phone consultation gives you a feel for how I work and a chance to ask anything you are unsure about, with no obligation to book. It is often the easiest first step when you are weighing up whether counselling is right for you. You can arrange one through the contact page.
Do you work with LGBTQIA+ couples and diverse relationship structures?
Yes, warmly. This is an affirming practice for people of all sexualities and genders, and I work with couples in open relationships, ethical non-monogamy and polyamory as readily as with monogamous ones. Whoever you are and however you love, you are welcome here.
Is what we talk about confidential?
Yes. What you share is kept confidential, within the limits set out by law and professional ethical guidelines, which I will explain clearly at the outset. Creating a private, trustworthy space is part of the work.
Where is the practice located?
The practice is on Mansfield Street in Thornbury, in Melbourne's inner north. It is a few minutes from Northcote and Preston along the High Street corridor, a short trip across the creek from Fairfield, and an easy drive from Ivanhoe and Heidelberg. There is usually manageable parking on the quieter streets nearby, and the rooms are an easy walk from the High Street shops.
Is online counselling available?
Yes. Sessions are available in person in Thornbury, Melbourne, and online via secure telehealth for clients across Australia. Many people move comfortably between in-person and online sessions depending on what their week allows.