During long-term relationships people face many important decisions, life events and turning points. When couples take different approaches it can become difficult to talk and support each other, leaving each partner possibly feeling lonely, isolated, angry, rejected, unsafe and unsupported.

Having therapy as a couple in a safe, mediated space offers the opportunity to air thoughts and feelings and to hear each other. It can be a way of opening up communication to gain a better understanding of the underlying issues.

Sometimes men are afraid that if they come to couple therapy with a female counsellor they will be blamed. I take a relational perspective – which in everyday language means that I recognize ‘there are two sides to every story’.

EFT

In my couple work I integrate Emotionally Focussed Therapy (EFT) which is one of the most empirically validated approaches in the field, and has a solid body of research showing positive outcomes for couples. EFT recognises that relationship distress arises from a perceived threat to basic adult needs for safety, security and closeness in intimate relationships and offers a process for healing distressed relationships.

Together we will identify unhelpful patterns that have developed in your relationship and work to rebuild intimacy and support for you both.

I have experience in working with various areas of unhappiness in long term relationships which include…

• communication difficulties
• anger/ arguments
• affairs
• uncertainty about commitment
• life transitions
• sexual difficulties
• becoming parents
• abuse in the relationship
• impact of work on the relationship
• repeating destructive relationship patterns
• anxiety
• stress
• illness
• separation and divorce
• addictions
• bereavement
• family dilemmas
• fertility issues
• depression

Counselling can also support couples wishing to end a marriage or long-term relationship.