Relationship and Couples Counselling in Melbourne

Looking for couples therapy?

You’re in the right place.

We get that talking about your relationship is deeply personal, and it can feel like a lot’s at stake.

That’s why we have dedicated counsellors that only work with couples. They have the experience and expert knowledge to equip you and your partner with the skills, tools and insights you need to make real-life changes.

Couple sitting side by side on park bench having a conversation

Get back on track

If your relationship is starting to feel like Groundhog Day, we can help you to get back on track.

People come to couples counselling for all sorts of reasons.

Maybe you and your partner…

  • Feel like you’ve lost that spark or you’ve grown apart
  • Are stuck and unsure about the future of your relationship
  • Have been through some big changes or have a lot of stress in your lives
  • Want help navigating separation
  • Argue over the same things or have fights that get out of hand
  • Are trying to navigate infidelity or issues around trust

Of course, your relationship doesn’t need to be “on the rocks” before you consider couples therapy.

Maybe you just feel like you could do with a tune up or a reboot.

Or you need some support to navigate a specific issue together.

Man and woman working on their relationship in couples therapy

Our Melbourne-based couples counsellors can help

Depending on what you both want from therapy, we can help you to:

  • Communicate more effectively
  • Bring your relationship to life again
  • Support each other more effectively during stressful times
  • Bring some playfulness and spontaneity back into your relationship
  • Understand the way that your past might be causing challenges within your relationship
  • Explore issues such as finances, parenting and troubles with extended family
  • Build trust and emotional connection
  • Acknowledge each other’s needs and find ways of meeting them
  • Revive parts of your relationship that have been neglected
  • Develop a deeper understanding of yourself and your partner
  • Feel clear on the future of your relationship
  • Navigate conflict more effectively
  • Work on sexual intimacy
  • Manage perpetual problems
  • Regulate difficult emotions (including managing trauma)
  • Cope with stress and triggers
  • Find a life balance
  • Navigate different values or cultural differences
  • Work with mismatched desire or loss of intimacy
  • Manage life transitions
  • Recover from cheating, affairs or infidelity
  • Navigate ethical non-monogamy
  • Process a separation or divorce
  • Decide whether to stay or leave in a relationship
  • Learn from previous relationships
  • Reconnect as partners and parents after the arrival of children
  • Learn from previous relationship
  • Manage mental health in your relationship
  • Affirm your gender and/or sexuality
  • Explore your relationship values, needs and rights
  • Navigate co-parenting

Who is relationship
counselling for?

Our counsellors have experience supporting couples of all genders, sexualities, orientations and dynamics, including but not limited to:

  • Couples who are dating or married
  • Couples who are separating or divorcing
  • Monogamous and non-monogamous couples
  • Polyamorous relationships
  • Straight and LGBTIQ+ couples
  • Former couples who want to work through their experience after a break up

What sorts of treatment approaches are used in relationship counselling?

Depending on the couples needs and preferences, as well as the their own training and background, our couples counsellors draw on a range of evidence based approaches including:

  • Emotion Focused Therapy
  • Gottman Relationship Therapy
  • Schema Therapy
  • Attachment based therapy
  • Internal Family Systems
  • Acceptance and Commitement Therapy
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
  • Mindfulness
  • Body-based approaches
  • Strength focused approaches
  • Compassion based therapy
  • Polyvagal theory
  • Psychodynamic approaches
  • Trauma informed care
  • Narrative approaches
  • Sex therapy

Couples counselling FAQs

Research suggests that couples counselling can help couples improve their relationship satisfaction, communication skills and problem-solving abilities. It can also help couples work through issues such as conflict resolution, infidelity, intimacy problems and trust issues. To get the most out of couples counselling, both parties should come with open minds and a willingness to listen and grow.

As long as you need it. We usually recommend at least a few sessions to allow us to get to know you and what you’re trying to achieve and to unpack the concerns that brought you to counselling.

If your partner is reluctant to join you in couples therapy, you can try encouraging them to be open minded about getting support designed to help you achieve your shared goals for the relationship. Before booking an appointment, it’s essential that both parties are happy to go ahead. If you or your partner are reluctant, sometimes individual therapy can be a more suitable place to start.

No preparation is needed before having your first session. Our experienced counsellors will help draw out your concerns. However if you’re keen to jot down some ideas and topics you want to cover, feel free to bring along anything that you think might be helpful or relevant.

Unfortunately at this stage Medicare does not fund couples counselling. Hopefully this changes in the future.

You and your partner don’t need to do it alone

Whatever it is you’re wanting help with, our Melbourne couples therapists have the experience and expert knowledge. We’ll equip you and your partner with the skills, tools and insights you need to make real-life changes in your relationship.