Intimate relationships form part of the foundation of our sense of purpose, security, and overall well-being. At Life Supports, we acknowledge that relationships are not always smooth sailing. As we navigate childhood and adulthood, it’s common to pick up unproductive narratives and behaviours that play out unfavourably in our relationships. When this happens, we can be left feeling hurt and isolated. The important thing to remember is that change is possible. An effective relationship counsellor can help you change these narratives by providing a supportive space to express your feelings, needs, upsets, and desires. Together, with you and your partner, your therapist will work to untangle and explore the events and personal narratives that have shaped your experiences and help you develop skills that can enhance the health of your relationship and intimacy.
Your sessions' primary focus is finding new and constructive ways to reconnect with yourself and your partner. To do this, our therapists will introduce Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques, which are present-focused therapies focusing on the connection between thoughts, feelings, and actions. In this solution-centred approach, you can expect your sessions to include the following steps:
Relationship counselling can be helpful for a wide range of individuals and situations. Most commonly, couples seek out therapy to address stress and conflict, deal with a broken down relationship, re-establish trust after infidelity, or find new ways of expressing feelings and expectations to each other. Therapists can also work with you to address the following:
Entering your first relationship counselling session will be all about your therapist getting to know you and your partner. The session will begin with introductions, helping your therapist learn who each of you is, your relationship journey, and your past experiences. Be prepared to take turns answering questions and actively listening to each other.
These first few sessions are explorative, focused on unravelling your histories and identifying the individual patterns and behaviours contributing to misunderstandings and conflict in your relationship. Your counsellor will work with you and your partner to pinpoint your relationship's strengths and weaknesses and integrate techniques to facilitate positive change.
After your first counselling session, you may finish feeling a mixed bag of emotions. This is normal. Therapy can be hard work at the best of times. Give yourself the time and space to process the feelings that come up. Remember, change happens not only in the therapy room but in the time spent processing and applying what you’ve learned to everyday life.
A counsellor can facilitate honest, empathetic, and practical conversation and teach partners techniques for healthier communication. In your sessions, your counsellor will encourage you to practise active listening, assertive expression, and emotional regulation. This will help you and your partner better understand each other's perspectives and communicate your wants and needs more clearly.
Counselling sessions are designed to address the key issues underlying the lack of intimacy, connection, and trust in relationships. By encouraging couples to use empathy to accept and understand one another, therapy improves the chances of cultivating a meaningful and lasting connection.
We help you and your partner find new ways to overcome misunderstandings and conflicts. Together with your counsellor, you’ll unravel the patterns and behaviours causing dysfunction in your relationship, learn techniques to address problems and find mutually beneficial solutions.
Yes, marriage or relationship counselling can work for many couples. A counsellor can help to improve communication, resolve conflicts, and untangle issues affecting connection and intimacy. This, however, can’t happen without the commitment of partners to change. When both partners commit time and effort to learning and growing through the experience, the outcomes can be transformative.
Relationship counselling is a practice of reflection and self-growth. Culturally, it often follows the narrative of a therapist ‘fixing broken relationships’, but it is not as simple as this. Facilitating open communication is at the crux of relationship counselling—helping partners identify shortcomings and explore healthy ways to strengthen their connection.
In short, yes. However, therapy aims to find the healthiest outcomes for both partners. This can sometimes mean helping partners recognise when marriage is no longer fulfilling their needs or finding new ways to reconnect with one another again.
Counselling can be a helpful tool for rebuilding trust and understanding the motivations behind infidelity. This usually requires a lot of work and commitment from both partners. While some couples manage to move on and repair broken trust after infidelity, others will find that therapy empowers them to step away from a relationship that has run its course.
There is no set number of sessions a couple should attend to achieve desired outcomes. After all, every couple is different, and their needs and goals vary. It’s up to you to decide when you think you have reached a point in counselling where you are happy and confident in your progress. On average, most couples will commit to 10-20 sessions. For less complex relationship dynamics, some couples will notice significant progress after fewer than ten sessions.
The cost of relationship counselling services varies depending on various factors, including the hours and availability, location, qualification, and experience of your therapist. Generally, sessions can range between $65 and $255. During your initial consultation with an intake officer, they will gather information about your financial circumstances to help you find the most suitable option.
Life Supports Counselling offers counselling services all over Sydney, including, but not limited to, the Sydney CBD and Inner West, North West Sydney and Hills District, Western Sydney, South Eastern and Eastern Suburbs, North Shore and Lower North Shore, Northern Beaches and North Sydney, and South West Sydney!
To start your counselling journey with Life Supports, call or email our team for an initial consultation. We will listen and learn about your situation and the kind of counsellor you’re seeking. Our approachable team of intake officers are here to answer any of your questions about Life Supports services and will personally match you with a counsellor who best meets your needs.
Appointments currently available
Open 8am to 8pm weekdays and 9am to 5:30pm weekends