Couples Therapy

Couples therapy can help partners communicate more clearly, manage conflict more constructively, and develop a deeper understanding of each other’s needs and experiences.

Many couples report improved emotional connection, greater trust, and increased confidence in handling challenges together. Therapy can also support healthier boundaries, stronger problem-solving skills, and a more secure and satisfying relationship over time.

No, couples therapy is not exclusively for people who are in constant conflict or considering ending their relationship. In fact many people come to couples therapy because they want to be together.

Couples seek therapy to improve communication, strengthen connection, work through ongoing challenges, or navigate life transitions before problems escalate.

Couples therapy can be helpful at any stage of a relationship, whether you are addressing difficulties, rebuilding after a rupture, or wanting to build a healthier and more satisfying partnership.

Individual and couples therapy differ in both focus and therapeutic approach.

In individual therapy, the work centres on one person’s internal experiences, such as emotions, thoughts, behaviours, and personal history. The therapist supports development of insight, coping skills, and change at an individual level.

Couples therapy, on the other hand, focuses on the relationship itself as the “client.” Therapy explores interaction patterns, communication styles, emotional dynamics, and how each partner’s experiences influence the relationship.

While both approaches are evidence-based and goal-directed, couples therapy places greater emphasis on real-time interactions, shared understanding, and collaborative change between partners.

It can be difficult to know whether individual or couples therapy is the right starting point, particularly when personal and relationship concerns overlap.

Individual therapy may be more helpful if your main focus is understanding your own emotions, patterns, or mental health. Couples therapy is often recommended when difficulties primarily arise within the relationship or affect both partners.

This is something we can also clarify together. In your initial couples session, we will explore your concerns and help determine the most appropriate approach. In some cases, individual therapy for one partner may be recommended alongside or prior to couples work. Where this is beneficial, we will discuss this with you and can provide referral options so that individual work can occur separately, allowing couples therapy to remain focused on the relationship.

Currently, the Medicare Benefits Schedule does not apply to couples therapy.

Some private health insurers may provide partial rebates for couples therapy sessions. We recommend contacting your insurer directly to confirm your eligibility and level of cover.

The first session focuses on understanding your relationship, your current concerns, and what you would like to get out of therapy.

We will explore key patterns in communication and interaction, clarify goals, and begin to develop a shared understanding of what is contributing to the difficulties you are experiencing. This provides the foundation for how we approach therapy moving forward.

In most cases, both partners attend sessions together, as the focus is on the relationship and interaction patterns between you.

Occasionally, brief individual sessions may be recommended to support the overall therapy process, but these are discussed collaboratively and used only where clinically appropriate.