Being part of a couple

Relationships are an important part of our lives and can have a significant impact on our sense of wellbeing.

Being part of a couple takes patience, understanding and a willingness to recognise not only our own needs and feelings, but those of our partner too. Relationships can be wonderful, but they can also be challenging, particularly when life brings stress, change and pressures from outside the relationship.

In your relationship, are you...

• comfortable talking openly about your emotions?

• encouraged to share what’s on your mind or what’s concerning you?

• able to talk about something your partner has said or done without worrying that the conversation will escalate into an argument?

• finding yourself keeping things to yourself because it feels easier than risking conflict?

• feeling unheard, misunderstood or disconnected from your partner?

Relationships aren’t immune to the stresses of life. Sometimes we can feel helpless, frustrated or as though our partner isn’t giving us what we need. At other times, past experiences, disappointments or resentments can begin to influence how we see our partner and our relationship.

Perhaps you’ve reached a point where you’re finding it difficult to communicate without arguing, or you’re having the same conversations repeatedly without feeling heard or understood.

So, what is couples counselling?

It’s not uncommon for couples to seek counselling when things have become difficult, but you don’t have to wait until your relationship is in crisis to ask for support.

Couples counselling provides a safe and confidential space to explore the difficulties you’re experiencing and have conversations that may feel difficult to have at home.

My role is to facilitate these conversations, helping you both to have a voice and to hear one another without interruptions, judgement or taking sides.

Together, we can explore:

• how you communicate with one another

• how each of you experiences the relationship

• difficult emotions, behaviours or recurring patterns

• differences in needs, expectations and opinions

• past experiences or resentments that may be affecting the relationship

• external pressures and stresses

• what each of you needs from the relationship moving forward.

The aim isn’t to decide who is right or wrong. It’s about creating space for greater understanding, exploring what may need to change and helping you both communicate more openly.

I will not judge or take sides. I offer both partners an equal opportunity to be heard while supporting you to explore the relationship together.

What if we’re not sure we want to stay together?

Couples counselling doesn’t have to be about making a relationship work at all costs.

Sometimes, counselling can help a couple understand what has happened within their relationship and explore what they both want moving forward. For some couples, that may mean working towards rebuilding their relationship. For others, it may mean reaching a greater understanding of each other and considering whether separating is the right decision.

Whatever brings you to counselling, the space is yours to explore your relationship honestly and respectfully, with support.

How many sessions will we need?

Every couple is different, so there is no fixed number of sessions.

We can regularly review how things are progressing and consider what feels helpful for you both. The decision about whether to continue with counselling remains yours.

Couples counselling is £75 for 1 hour or £90 for 1.5 hours.