Effective Relationship Counselling for Couples in Elsternwick

There is no such thing as a ‘perfect’ relationship. However, if you and your partner are struggling to find happiness and harmony together, marriage therapy may be able to help.

Using the renowned Gottman method and Schema Therapy, Your Psychologist in Elsternwick provides effective conflict resolution and couples therapy to help you find more intimacy and passion in your relationship. This can help with anything from communication difficulties to conflict management as well as relationship anger management.

Whether you have been in a relationship for many years or are looking for pre-marriage counselling to strengthen your bond before you tie the knot, I can help. Get in touch today on 0419 139 805 to book your first appointment at my Elsternwick office.

Who can benefit from seeing a couples psychologist?

Making the decision to see a marriage psychologist is a big step, as the hardest part of seeking help is often identifying that there is an issue in the first place. If you find yourself constantly asking, “are we meant to be together?”, you are likely to benefit from marriage therapy.

Some common reasons for seeking relationship help include:

• Frequent arguing.
• Difficulty communicating.
• Trust issues.
• Dissatisfaction with sexual or emotional intimacy.
• Coping with shared trauma or grief.
• Inability to respond in a healthy manner during conflict.
• Problems with co-dependency.

What is Schema Therapy?

Few intimate relationships commence and develop with the prospect thoughts of tough times ahead, however conflict, challenges and emotional pain are often side effects from are a natural accompaniment to being close to someone.

At the centre of our psychological makeup lies vulnerability, and interpersonal relationships are often where human beings feel that vulnerability.

This vulnerability is observed in the couples relationship, where feelings are magnified by love, romantic bonds, family and ties.

Negative core beliefs or schemas can be perpetuated by unhealthy, relationships or healed and transformed by healthy and satisfying ones.

In my work, I focus on the complex interplay between 2 people and their history.

This model suggests ways to explain, improve and resolve some of the obstacles to successful relationships, through its focus on meeting basic human needs.

The basic human need to feel safe, secure, connected and cared about, and the factors that interfere with getting those needs met in healthy and adaptive ways, are explored in this issue.

What is the Gottman method of therapy?

I integrate schema therapy with the Gottman approach. The Gottman method of therapy is a widely used and respected approach to relationship counselling. By conducting marriage therapy sessions both together and separately, your psychologist will seek to gain an in-depth assessment of your relationship. From here, tailored, evidence-based techniques will be integrated into the couples counselling sessions to improve the relationship in three crucial areas; friendship, conflict management and creation of shared meaning.

This approach points to the relationship difficulties caused by the “Four Horsemen.” The Four Horsemen are factors that are predictive of divorce:

1. Criticism of the partner’s personality
2. Defensiveness
3. Stonewalling, or refusing to interact
4. Contempt

Why is relationship anger management so important?

One of the hallmark signs of a healthy relationship is how well you and your partner deal with conflict. In times of high stress, it’s easy for communication to break down and for anger to surface in response to hurt or grief. With conflict management counselling, you and your partner can learn healthier ways to overcome these hurdles.

As a trusted couples psychologist in Elsternwick, I can help you and your partner identify relationship goals, work on communication skills and develop healthy methods of conflict resolution.

How effective is couples or marriage counselling?

Seeking guidance from a marriage psychologist is one of the most effective ways to get relationship help. In most cases, the sooner you seek relationship counselling, the more effective it will be. This is why pre-marriage counselling is often a great way to prepare your relationship for the ups and downs that naturally occur over time.

There are a number of advantages to seeking relationship anger management and couples therapy. This includes:

• Improved communication.
• Rebuilding of trust.
• Identifying key areas that lead to conflict.
• Ability to manage conflict in a healthy way.
• Establishing a greater sense of respect.
• Improved abilities to deal with issues such as parenting, sexual problems, grief, loss and separation.

Get in touch today!

If you’re looking for relationship help, call my Elsternwick office today on 0419 139 805 to book your first pre-marriage or couples psychologist session.