Couples & Relationship Counselling

Relationships can be one of the greatest sources of connection, meaning and support in our lives, but they can also become places of real hurt - recurring conflict, emotional distance, a breakdown in trust, or the quiet feeling that you and your partner have stopped finding each other.

If something feels stuck, strained, or broken, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Relationship counselling offers space to slow things down and understand what's really happening beneath the surface, and to find a way forward.

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How I Work:

My approach is warm, collaborative and emotionally attuned. I work with couples to explore the underlying emotional dynamics shaping their relationship, while also supporting real, practical changes in how you communicate and show up for each other.

I aim to create a space where both people feel genuinely heard and understood. Change becomes possible when people feel safe enough to be honest about what they're actually experiencing.

My work is attachment-informed, drawing on a range of evidence-based approaches tailored to what each couple needs. → More about Stephanie

I support couples who are navigating:

  • Communication difficulties and recurring conflict

  • Emotional disconnection or intimacy concerns

  • Trust, betrayal and relationship rupture - including affair and betrayal recovery

  • The impact of anxiety, grief or past experiences on the relationship

  • Parenting stress and major life transitions

  • Attachment patterns

Fees & Availability:

50-minute sessions · $200

80-minute sessions $250

I see couples together (individual sessions can be arranged in specific circumstances)

Available in person in Thornbury, and online across Australia

Medicare does not cover couples counselling. Some private health funds offer a rebate. It's worth checking your extras cover.

Common Questions:

  • Couples counselling is not covered by Medicare in Australia. Medicare mental health plans (including the Better Access scheme) cover individual psychological therapy only. Some private health insurance extras policies offer a rebate for couples counselling - it's worth checking directly with your insurer. I'm happy to discuss fees when you get in touch.

  • Research consistently shows that couples therapy - particularly EFT and Gottman-informed approaches - produces meaningful, lasting change for most couples who engage genuinely with the process. It works best when both people are willing to show up honestly, even when that's hard.

  • Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is one of the most well-researched approaches to couples counselling. It focuses on the emotional patterns and attachment needs that drive conflict and disconnection - the cycle you find yourselves in, rather than just the surface issues that trigger it. By understanding what's really happening beneath the arguments, couples can shift out of stuck patterns and build a more secure, connected relationship.

  • This is very common. Sometimes one person reaches out first, and that's okay. Feel free to get in touch and we can talk through whether couples counselling is the right next step, and how to approach the conversation together.

  • The first session is about getting to know you both - your relationship history, what's brought you here, and what you're hoping for. There's no pressure to have everything figured out before you arrive.

  • This varies considerably depending on what you're working through. Some couples find real clarity in six to eight sessions; others work more deeply over a longer period. We check in regularly and you're always in control of the pace.

  • Yes. Online sessions are available across Australia via a secure video platform. Many couples find telehealth works very well - it removes the logistics of travel and can make it easier to show up consistently. In-person sessions are available at my rooms in Fairfield, Melbourne.

  • Absolutely. LGBTQI+ individuals and couples are warmly welcomed, as are people in ethically non-monogamous, polyamorous or other diverse relationship structures. My practice is an affirming space for all relationship forms.

  • Both can provide effective couples therapy. Psychologists hold a psychology degree and AHPRA registration. Counsellors may hold qualifications specifically focused on relationship and couples therapy - as I do, with a Master of Counselling in the Couples stream, and the Specialist Course in Integrative Couples Therapy (SCICT) through Relationships Australia Victoria. What matters most is a therapist's specific training and experience in couples work, not their professional title.

  • I offer in-person sessions in Thornbury in Melbourne's inner north, with easy access from Northcote, Alphington, Fairfield, Preston, Ivanhoe, and surrounding suburbs. Online sessions are available for clients anywhere in Australia.