Couples Counselling: Who Can Benefit?

Couples Counselling is not just for married couples. Anyone in a relationship can benefit from relationship counselling. Learn more about couples counselling and whether you and your partner would benefit.

Relationships have ups and downs. It is completely normal to experience some challenging times in your relationship. When your relationship or marriage has been struggling for a while, its effects can negatively impact other areas of your life, including your health and wellbeing.

Relationship challenges and the demands of modern life can strain marriages or relationships. Couples Therapists often find that many people do not know how to communicate their emotions and needs effectively or deal with conflict.

Couples counselling can use different evidence-based methods to help couples navigate the different phases and challenges of their relationship.

Who can benefit from Couples Counselling?

All couples can benefit from relationship counselling, including:

Culturally diverse couples
Same-sex couples
Blended families.

Marriage or Couples Counselling can be very beneficial to:

Couples finding themselves struggling in their marriage or relationship
Couples needing pre-marriage counselling
Couples where one or both partners are struggling with mental health issues or a history of complex trauma
Couples unsure as to whether they wish to continue their relationship
Couples struggling with trust issues following affairs and infidelity
Couples struggling with parenting issues or infertility
Couples wanting to improve their bond and communication.

FAQs about Couples Counselling

My partner does not want to start couples counselling. What should I do?

Often, partners may be concerned about their relationship, but one or both may be reluctant to see a couples counsellor. If your partner is unwilling to attend couples counselling, you can make an appointment to see a psychologist yourself. You may get some support, ideas and suggestions from your therapist, provide some clarity and point you in the right direction. They can also assist you in initiating the conversation with your partner about why you think it is essential to start couples counselling and find ways to do so safely and comfortably.

How many couples counselling sessions do we need to resolve our relationship issues?

How long couples counselling will take depends on your specific circumstances. At the beginning, your therapist will conduct an assessment and provide you with their thoughts on how to best approach treatment. They will also set goals and objectives and determine how many sessions you may need to achieve these.

What should I expect from a couples counselling session?

Your couples therapist will start by thoroughly assessing your circumstances and asking questions about your needs and the outcomes you hope for. Sometimes, couples counsellors conduct an individual session with each partner after their first initial session, but this is not always necessary.

Depending on the evidence-based method your therapist selects as the best fit for you and your partner, you and your partner may need to complete a series of different questionnaires.

What evidence-based therapies are used in Couples Counselling?

Some of the most researched and widely used evidence-based methods are:

Depending on your specific needs and circumstances, your psychologist may also introduce other evidence-based therapies.

Finding the Right Couples Therapist

Finding the right couples therapist is an essential part of the process and journey towards building a healthy relationship. When choosing a couples counsellor, you might want to consider the following:

Look for an AHPRA-registered psychologist or Clinical Psychologist. AHPRA Psychology Board’s objective is to protect the public by ensuring only practitioners with the skills and qualifications to provide safe care and psychological services are registered to practise in Australia.

Look for couples counsellors with qualifications and experience using a couples counselling evidence-based method. Check whether they have undergone training and professional development in a therapy approach such as EFT for Couples or the Gottman Method. As much as possible, choose a couples therapist with vast experience. Your therapist’s approach and methods should feel like a good fit for you and your partner.

Check the therapist’s availability and access. Busy couples often prefer to attend sessions online. Others prefer to do it in the privacy of the psychologist’s consulting room. Their availability and location or accessibility should fit your and your partner’s circumstances. Ensure the therapist has enough availability to see you as often as you need.