At our Melbourne private practice, we offer both individual counselling and relationship counselling sessions, creating a supportive environment to help you and your partner reconnect and improve relationship satisfaction. Individual therapy is a valuable tool for addressing relationship challenges, which can often impact your self-esteem, overall well-being and mental health. Common concerns that prompt individuals to seek therapy include communication breakdowns, frequent conflicts, emotional disconnection, sexual intimacy issues, infidelity, financial disagreements, and parenting struggles. We recognise that every relationship is unique and may face difficulties at different stages. Our goal is to tailor the therapeutic process to your strengths and areas of growth, fostering healthier, more fulfilling relationships.
Relationship difficulties and when to seek support
Struggling to achieve intimacy in a relationship is a common issue for many couples and can significantly impact relationship satisfaction. Several factors contribute to these challenges, and addressing them through couples therapy or relationship counselling can foster healthy relationships. Common concerns include:
Communication Challenges: Poor communication often leads to emotional disconnection and prevents couples from forming deeper bonds. Developing effective communication skills that are loving, non-judgmental, and open is crucial for fostering intimacy and building emotional closeness.
Unresolved Issues: Past hurts, lingering anger, resentment, and a lack of trust can be significant barriers to intimacy. When unresolved, these issues prevent couples from connecting emotionally and damage relationship dynamics over time.
External Stressors: Everyday stressors, such as financial difficulties, work-related stress, family conflicts, or a lack of quality time together, create tension within relationships, making it difficult for couples to maintain intimacy. Couples counselling can help couples manage these stressors, improve communication, and reconnect emotionally.
Childhood Trauma: Trauma from childhood, including abuse or neglect, can profoundly impact how individuals form and maintain relationships as adults. These experiences may impair trust and emotional intimacy, making it difficult to build fulfilling intimate connections in adult relationships. Addressing this in relationship therapy is crucial for overcoming these barriers.
Life Transitions: Major life changes or adjustment challenges such as starting a family, moving, or career changes, can disrupt intimacy within relationships. Through relationship counselling, couples can learn strategies to navigate these transitions and maintain emotional closeness during challenging times.
Mental Health Issues: Conditions such as anxiety, depression, addiction, or other mental health struggles can have a significant impact on intimacy and emotional connection within relationships. Individual therapy or couples therapy can support both partners in managing these challenges while fostering healthier interactions.
Sexual Intimacy Concerns: Many couples experience difficulties with sexual intimacy, which may be influenced by past experiences, medical issues, or emotional disconnection. Addressing these concerns in relationship therapy can help couples regain emotional and physical closeness.
What is the first step to setting up couples therapy in Melbourne?
Simply send an online enquiry via our booking tab, should you be seeking support from a qualified relationship therapist or couples counsellor. Our warm and compassionate psychologists are trained to help you navigate a range of common relationship struggles.
Our Melbourne-based practice offers evidence-based therapies including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), emotion-focused therapy, and the Gottman Method, to help you achieve emotional closeness, rebuild trust, and foster deeper connections with your partner. Whether you’re located seeking in-person consultation close to Melbourne CBD or online due to being located elsewhere in Australia, we provide counselling sessions tailored to your needs.
What to expect from Marriage counselling?
Whether you’re seeking in-person counselling sessions close to Melbourne CBD, Victoria (VIC), or looking for support online as you are located elsewhere within Australia, we tailor our counselling services to your specific needs. From the very first session, our compassionate relationship counsellors will work with you to address relationship issues and life transitions while supporting your overall well-being. Additionally, many of our services are eligible for rebates, ensuring accessible support for those navigating relationship difficulties. Our goal is to help you and your partner reconnect, fostering deeper connections and facilitating lasting, positive changes within your relationship.
criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling (The Four Horsemen) predict early divorcing.
What are the common indicators of a health relationship?
The Sound Relationship House Theory, developed by Drs. John and Julie Gottman serve as a comprehensive model for understanding a healthy relationship. Using a metaphorical “house,” it encompasses vital components like communication, emotional intimacy, and conflict management. While primarily used in couples therapy, these concepts are also applicable in individual therapy sessions with a psychologist.
Four core components to healthy communication:
Understanding the core communication styles that can predict divorce is pivotal for fostering enduring relationships. Renowned expert Dr. John Gottman identifies these styles, known as the “four horsemen,” as critical indicators of marital success. Research conducted by Gottman highlights that 83% of marriages affected by these “horsemen” can stabilise if couples learn effective reconciliation techniques. By unpacking and addressing these communication patterns, couples can lay the foundation for resilient, enduring relationships.
1. Criticism: Criticism goes beyond addressing specific mistakes; it attacks your partner’s character. The key lies in differentiating between Criticism and Complaints – the former can erode relationships, while the latter addresses behaviours without attacking the person.
2. Contempt: Contempt arises from a deep-seated sense of superiority, or feeling like your partner is worthless and beneath you. Contempt is often fueled by persistent negative thoughts. Overcoming this toxic emotion requires acknowledging its presence and fostering empathy, essential for restoring emotional connection.
3. Defensiveness: Defensiveness, a common response to criticism, involves making excuses or shifting blame instead of taking responsibility. Identifying defensive reactions and replacing them with constructive dialogue paves the way for healthier interactions.
4. Stonewalling: Stonewalling manifests when one partner emotionally shuts down, refusing interaction with the other, typically a response to contempt. Recognising this withdrawal and establishing open, respectful communication channels is fundamental in rekindling intimacy.
67% of new parents experience a precipitous drop in couple satisfaction in the first three years of the baby's life.
How can psychologists support in overcoming relationship challenges?
Psychologists utilise evidence-based approaches and strategies, incorporating Dialectical-Behavioural Therapy and the Gottman Method of Relationship Therapy, to establish therapy goals. Our psychologists focus on improving communication by resolving conflicts, and fostering intimacy, respect, and affection. The approach may involve breaking down barriers that create stagnation during conflicts and cultivating empathy and understanding within the relationship. Relationships are interconnected; one person’s actions affect the other. Positive change starts with you. Our Melbourne psychology practice offers both individual therapy and couples counselling depending on your needs.
Evidenced-Based approaches for relationship improvement:
At our Melbourne psychology practice, our psychologists are trained in a range of proven therapeutic methods to enhance relationships. This may include Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviours, promoting healthier communication and problem-solving skills. Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is another approach utilised with couples, which concentrates on emotional responsiveness and attachment, helping couples understand and restructure their emotional responses to each other.
In both individual and couples therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) is a common approach, which combines cognitive and behavioural techniques to enhance emotional regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance within relationships. Another approach often utilised in both individual and couples work is mindfulness, which integrates mindfulness practices with relationship skills, enhancing emotional awareness and connection. When targeting deep-seated patterns and beliefs in individual therapy, Schema Therapy is extremely useful, as this approach aims to address the root causes of relationship challenges.
More traditionally, the Gottman Method of Relationship Therapy is utilised for couples, as this is the gold standard treatment approach having been backed by research. The Gottman Method is a comprehensive approach addressing communication issues, conflict management, intimacy enhancement, and overall relationship satisfaction.
How can Positive Wellbeing Psychology help?
At Positive Wellbeing Psychology, we understand the complexities of relationship difficulties and provide therapy approaches to help individuals address these issues and improve their intimate relationships.
Unexpected life challenges and transitions often bring stress, relationship strain, and self-reflection. It’s natural to question your path during transformative life shifts.
Make an Appointment
At Positive Wellbeing Psychology, we offer flexible appointments with our psychologists during the day, evening, or weekends, both in-person at our Melbourne psychology practice or online via telehealth.
Our team of psychologists hold full registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and adhere to ethical guidelines as mandated by the Psychologists Registration Board and Australian Psychological Society. Our clinical practice is grounded in evidence-based treatment approaches, ensuring comprehensive support for individuals to navigate relationship challenges.