Couples/Relationship Counselling

THINKING OF GOING TO COUPLES COUNSELLING??    Making the choice to go to couples counselling can feel like a very big step. It involves admitting that things are not perfect in your partnership, which is often tough to do and scary to admit. And if you are not particularly familiar with what therapy is all about, it can feel mysterious and confusing.  Often, the idea of seeing a marriage or couples therapist sits on the back burner, with one or both parties thinking that it may be a good idea, but also feeling unsure of how to proceed — and of whether their specific problems can really be helped.  Here are some of the more common issues that many couples face: Have you, or are you dealing with any of these situations?

-Trust has been broken;

-Arguments are getting more frequent;

-Communication is poor.- you may constantly feel misunderstood or ignored, or maybe you feel like you don't even have a good idea of what is happening with your partner emotionally as of late; he or she might as well be a stranger;

-Something definitely feels wrong, but you're not sure what or why -sometimes couples therapy is useful not only for solving problems, but also for identifying them;

-There is something you want your partner to know, but you've been unable to tell them.  Sometimes the beauty of counselling starts with the room itself: It can become a safe and supportive place for you to bring up things that are difficult to talk about in other settings. A trained professional with a warm presence can often help you overcome your fears of sharing something with your partner.;

-One or both of you becomes dysfunctional during a conflict. Maybe you or your partner shuts down, lashes out, or gets vengeful or passive-aggressive;

-You have gone through something devastating that is changing the way you connect with each other.  Sometimes the cruel double-whammy of a setback in life is that it's not just the setback itself that hurts, but also the effect it has on a marriage or partnership

-You feel stuck in bad patterns.  There is no limit to the number of patterns that partners develop in day-to-day life, from how and when they eat and, to how much time they spend apart or with others, to who handles various household chores, to how they interact with each other's families;

-Emotional intimacy is gone or deeply diminished. Does it feel like the "spark" is gone after spending a decade or more together, and that you are more roommates than soul mates. Sometimes this is just because the grind of daily life has begun to over -shadow your ability to connect, and it's simply a matter of re-prioritizing.

-Physical intimacy is a problem.  Sexual issues can be both a symptom and a cause of relationship problems, which means it is often at the forefront of a couple's day-to-day complaints. 

Couples counselling at Tranquil Minds aims to, though utilising the Gottman Method, help couples strengthen their relationships in three primary areas: friendship, conflict management, and creation of shared meaning.  The goals of the Gottman Method Couples Therapy are to disarm conflicting verbal communications, increase intimacy, respect, and affection, remove barriers that create a feeling of stagnancy in conflicting situations, and create a heightened sense of empathy and understanding within the context of the relationship.

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The Gottman Method is an approach to couples therapy that includes a thorough assessment of the couples relationship and integrates research-based interventions based on the Sound Relationship House Theory. The Gottman Method is designed to support couples across all economic, racial, sexual orientation, and cultural sectors.   Belinda has undertaken Level 2 training  in the Gottman Method through the Gottman Institute  and is very happy and able to answer any questions you may have about couples therapy and if it is right for you 

A comprehensive assessment of a couples relationship is undertaken  through a 90 minute initial assessment, then  each partner will be asked to  complete a comprehensive questionnaire (at home, in their own time). Additionally , each partner will be invited to attend a 60 minute individual session with Belinda.  This allows for a complete understanding of what issues and challenges the couple face as well as discovering what strengths and resources they already possess as a couple.  This allows for a tailored intervention program to effective build upon those areas within the relationship most in need, while highlighting and reinforcing their strengths .

90 Min initial assessment               $200

Individual 60 min Sessions             $120

All subsequent Joint sessions         $150

A 50% concession on the above fees  is available  where both partners are in receipt of a current eligible Centrelink payment and hold a valid  Health Care Card or Pensioner Card 

Rebates may be available if you have  an eligible level of cover with Medibank Private, BUPA . Police Health  or ahm  Private Health Insurance. 

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