Couples counselling (with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - CBT)

Help to address problems in your relationship

Normally the purpose of couples counselling is to help rebuild your relationship and to stay together. However, in some cases you may have already expressed a wish to separate, in which case the counselling process can help to manage the process more amicably.

Counselling can help to take a relationship forward, but it does need both partners to accept the process and to be willing to commit to the sessions. I will work to support you as a couple as you go through the process. At times I may act as a facilitator, mediator, container or observer as is necessary to give support, I will encourage both partners to take responsibility for their choices and actions.

Initially, typical discussions will include:

• The issues you have been experiencing
• How long you have been experiencing problems
• Whether you have been to relationship counselling before
• How you have both attempted to solve the problems so far
• What you are hoping to achieve through the counselling process

I will not solve the problems for you but using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - CBT strategies I am there to help you both to develop the skills to manage the issues yourselves. I will provide a safe and comfortable environment separate to the normal stresses of life where you can talk through things in a more honest way.

By working with you I can help you to improve communication levels through practice and with therapist feedback. I can help you learn to negotiate and compromise with one another, plus to understand what is keeping you “stuck” as a couple and to discover ways of moving forward.