Intimate relationships are fundamental aspects of one's sense of purpose, security, and overall well-being. At Life Supports, it is recognised that relationships may encounter challenges. As individuals progress from childhood to adulthood, it is common for unproductive narratives and behaviours to emerge, which can negatively impact these relationships. Consequently, one may experience emotional distress and feelings of isolation. It should be noted, however, that change is attainable. An effective relationship counsellor can facilitate the transformation of these narratives by creating a supportive environment for the expression of emotions, needs, grievances, and aspirations. In collaboration with both partners, the therapist aims to unravel and analyse the events and personal stories that have influenced the relationship, while also equipping the couple with skills to improve the quality of their relationship and foster intimacy.
The main focus of your sessions is to explore new and constructive methods for reconnecting with both yourself and your partner. Our therapists will introduce a variety of evidence-based therapeutic techniques specifically tailored to address the individual needs of you and your partner. Through the application of solution-focused approaches in therapy, our aim is to cultivate empathy, communication, and trust among couples, effectively repairing and strengthening relationships.
You can expect your sessions with a relationship counsellor to include the following steps:
Relationship counselling is beneficial for many different people and circumstances. Couples most frequently go to therapy to work through issues of stress and conflict, mend a damaged relationship, rebuild trust following an affair, or learn new methods to communicate their expectations and feelings to one another. Therapists can also work with you to address the following:
The initial counselling session for your first relationship will be primarily focused on your therapist gaining an understanding of both you and your partner. The session will commence with introductions, where your therapist will gather information about each individual, your relationship journey, as well as past experiences. It is important to be prepared to take turns responding to questions and actively listening to one another.
These early sessions serve as an exploration of your histories, with the goal of identifying individual patterns and behaviours that contribute to misunderstandings and conflicts within your relationship. Through collaboration with the therapist, you and your partner will work towards identifying the strengths and weaknesses within your relationship and incorporating techniques that promote positive change.
Following the initial counselling session, it is not uncommon to experience a range of emotions. This is a natural response, as therapy can be a challenging process. It is important to allow yourself the necessary time and space to process any emotions that may arise. It is worth noting that change not only occurs during therapy sessions, but also during the time spent reflecting and applying what has been learned to daily life.
A counsellor can help couples communicate more healthily by facilitating sympathetic and useful dialogue and teaching them practical conversational skills. During your sessions, your counsellor will advise you to develop assertive communication, emotional control, and active listening. This will facilitate clearer communication of your needs and wants between you and your spouse as well as a greater understanding of one another's viewpoints. This gives you and your spouse the essential communication skills you need to handle breakups more skillfully and become stronger as a couple.
The main goals of counselling sessions are to deal with the fundamental problems that underlie a lack of closeness, trust, and intimacy in relationships. Therapy can help partners gain a deeper understanding and acceptance of each other by urging them to practise empathy and improve their communication skills. This increases the likelihood that a meaningful and lasting connection will be formed.
A good relationship therapist can assist you and your partner in coming up with fresh strategies for resolving disagreements and misunderstandings. Along with your counsellor, you will identify the habits and behaviours that are producing dysfunction in your relationship and develop problem-solving and relationship-strengthening strategies.
Yes, a lot of couples find success with marital or relationship counselling. A counsellor can assist in enhancing communication, resolving disputes, and sorting out problems that impede closeness and connection. However, without partners' commitment to change, this cannot occur. Results can be dramatic when both couples invest time and energy into growing and learning from the experience.
Introspection and personal development are key components of relationship counselling. Cultural narratives about therapists "repairing broken relationships" are common, but the reality is more nuanced. The core of relationship counselling is to support open communication, assisting partners in recognising their flaws and investigating constructive strategies to improve their bond.
In short, yes. However, the goal of therapy is to determine what's best for both partners in terms of health. This may occasionally entail discovering new methods to rekindle their relationship or assisting couples in realising when their marriage is no longer satisfying their needs.
Rebuilding trust and comprehending the reasons behind infidelity can both benefit from counselling. Usually, both partners have to put in a lot of effort and dedication to this. After an affair, some couples are able to go on and mend damaged trust, but others discover that treatment gives them the confidence to end a relationship that is no longer healthy.
A couple doesn’t need to attend a certain number of sessions in order to get the results they need. Since every couple is unique, so are their needs and objectives. When you feel that your development in counselling has reached a point where you are satisfied with it is entirely up to you. Most couples schedule ten to twenty sessions. Some couples report seeing improvement after ten sessions, especially for less complicated marital issues.
Relationship counselling fees vary based on a number of variables, such as your therapist's training and expertise, availability and hours, location, and other factors. Sessions typically cost between $65 and $255. An intake officer will ask you questions about your financial situation during your initial session in order to assist you in selecting the best course of action.
Life Supports Counselling offers counselling services all over Melbourne, including, but not limited to:
For a free initial session, contact our staff by phone or email to begin your counselling journey with Life Supports. We'll pay attention as you tell us about your circumstances and the type of counsellor you're looking for. In addition to carefully matching you with a counsellor who best suits your requirements, our friendly team of intake officers is available to answer any concerns you may have regarding Life Supports programs.
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