Relationships & Couples Counselling
The connections between family, friends, work colleagues, romantic partners and individuals who we encounter in our lives are all governed by different styles of connecting and can have different challenges.
Relationship breakdown, poor relationships and estrangement can be explored in relationship counselling with the aim to achieve stronger connections, or to determine what is appropriate for the relationship going forward. If the relationship is found to be no longer viable, dealing well with its dissolution is a worthwhile goal in therapy, especially when there are others who will be impacted by the dissolution, particularly children and relatives.
Relationship counselling is not necessarily problem focused. Individuals can undertake relationship counselling to advance and optimize their relationship, which may contribute to improved quality of life and sometimes improved general health and mental wellbeing.
The fluctuations of life often challenge us and our relationships. We may have entered into a given relationship with assumptions, dreams and expectations which have not remained constant. As elements of ourselves, our circumstances, and the contract of our relationship change, we may need to re-define and re-negotiate the nature of that relationship.
Counselling can provide an open, safe, objective space for the members of the relationship to analyse the situation, explore the options, set realistic goals, acquire new skills to deal with the situation and to determine the best way forward.
Relationship Therapy Checklist
Relationship Counselling can be helpful in addressing different issues which may include:
1.
Addressing infidelity or other forms of betrayal
2.
Being able to communicate your needs and negotiating a sustainable path
3.
Breaking negative patterns in the relationship, e.g. 'The Blame Game'
4.
Challenges in communicating and/or connecting
5.
Challenges in intimacy
6.
Changes posed by parents, extended family and in-laws, including creating healthy boundaries
7.
Commitment issues
8.
Conflict around finances
9.
Control issues
10.
Developing a deeper understanding of the self to support choosing a future partner
11.
Developing ways to deal with resentment, anger and conflict in the relationship
12.
Feeling able and safe to express opinions and thoughts
13.
Going forward into a new relationship, identifying elements to avoid and elements which require on-going awareness
14.
Issues around rejection, alienation and abandonement
15.
Loss and grief issues
16.
Navigating a work/family/partner balance
17.
Navigating shared roles
18.
Pornography and internet challenges to the relationship
19.
Pressures associated with illness and/or disability
20.
Recognising and addressing emotional, physical and verbal abuse
21.
Recognising and understanding the impact of the past, including trauma
22.
Recognising, understanding and managing family or origin issues as they impact the individual and the relationship
23.
Reviewing the original attraction and understanding the journey to the present situation
24.
Stepparenting
25.
The changing nature of relationships
26.
The loss of the dream, and the need for a new 'contract'
27.
Trust issues
28.
Understanding expectations within the relationship and ascertaining what are realistic goals going forward
29.
Understanding and learning to manage feeling judged, criticised and overlooked
30.
Understanding the contribution of each partner to challenges in the relationship
31.
Variance in outlooks and styles of parenting
32.
Variance in priorities, goals and styles of behaviour
If you are experiencing conflict in your life and seeking to make peace with a person or situation, please feel free to call me on 0438 345 770.