COUPLE COUNSELLING & PSYCHOTHERAPY SERVICES
Is your relationship not as strong as it once was? Are you and your partner having trouble communicating or trusting each other? Do you have the same old argument about the same old problem? Studies show that couples therapy is effective at restoring a relationship 75% of the time.
Going into your first session of couples counselling can feel intimidating. Here’s what to expect in couples therapy and how it actually works.
The initial session in counselling I will explain the counselling process and important issues like confidentiality and its limitations. I will give you both an opportunity to talk about the level of difficulty of your relationship problems in a safe and supportive environment.
I will help you to identify your difficulties, express your thoughts and feelings, listen to your partner and try to understand their perspective. Counselling sessions offer a safe and measured environment and atmosphere where difficult things can be said and heard and where understanding can grow and develop.
In working through difficulties in the counselling room I found that clients can learn how to address, discuss and manage the difficulties they may experience in more productive ways.
WHY DO COUPLES COME TO THERAPY?
There can be many different reasons why couples come along to counselling.
Some of the most common reasons include:
Not everyone’s problems will look the same, but identifying your specific problems is an important step. You may go into therapy thinking that your problem is all based on intimacy but often this can be as a result of a breakdown of trust and communication. As you share your concerns I will look for underlying, connecting themes. By understanding the patterns that can develop between couples and seeing the root cause it is possible to develop goals in therapy. Every couple’s goals will look different. Maybe you want to fall in love again or understand each other better. Some of your goals can focus on specific skills or just getting through a large adjustment together, such as a job change, a move of house or having a baby.
LEARN NEW SKILLS TO IMPROVE RELATIONSHIPS
I believe that one of the most important aspects of couple counselling is learning new skills that will benefit your relationship after the sessions. Here is a list of some of the qualities that we need to sustain a loving relationship.
Most couples have had all the essential skills at some point in their relationship but have just forgotten how to use them. Your therapy sessions will remind you of the importance of these skills and show you how they can improve your relationship.
HOMEWORK OUTSIDE OF SESSIONS
Working on your relationship doesn’t stop once your therapy session ends. In fact, a major part of couples therapy is what happens in between the sessions. Each week I will be encouraging you to undertake a task or some homework to complete between each session. Some of these homework assignments could include:
Depending how the sessions are going I might give more specific exercises to keep your relationship on track. The ultimate goal of this homework is to get you to a point where you can work out your issues on your own outside of therapy. You’ll start small with a few tasks but eventually, you’ll be able to tackle any issue that arises.
In most cases, couples will attend sessions together, but sometimes I will encourage you to come individually for a session. This can be very constructive as I will be supporting you in expressing your fears, worries, concerns, anger, sadness, hopes and dreams around your relationship.
If you would like to discuss any of my services in more detail or would like to make an appointment. Please feel free to contact me. I would be delighted to hear from you.
