​Welcome.

 

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What is couples counselling?

 

I offer person-centred couples counselling, a non-directive counselling where I aim to provide a space where both of you can feel secure, safe, and heard, so that you can both speak openly about your understanding of and feelings about your relationship.  I aim to empathise with both of you equally.  I will not judge, or tell you what to do.  Having a compassionate but neutral counsellor present can enable you to have the difficult conversations together that otherwise might tip into rows - or might not feel possible to have at all. 

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My job isn't to fix your relationship - it's to understand both of you so that you can understand each other better.  I don't hold an aim of what should happen to your relationship.  Sometimes, couples counselling enables couples to stay together, with greater understanding and connection.  Sometimes it can be a way of working towards a change or an end of a relationship, in a supportive and (hopefully) less acrimonious environment than would otherwise be there.

 

I don't use any formal structure, but if one person speaks substantially more than the other, I may offer my observation of this, and invite the other to share how they're feeling.  As with individual clients, I trust that the creation of the shared, safe space will enable both of you to bring the issues and feelings that you need to explore, and for the two of you to find your way forward for your relationship, whichever way that is.

 

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What is a couple?

 

A couple is any two people in a relationship - this can be a romantic relationship, but can also be friends or family members, eg siblings, parent & child, etc.  It's any two people who care enough about their relationship to want to use this space to help them understand each other and communicate better!

 

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​​​​Couples and Individual Counselling

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​Some people have couples counselling at the same time as individual counselling, some know they wish to start with individual counselling before moving to couples counselling, and sometimes in couples counselling issues come up that are best addressed in individual counselling.  And some don't have any individual counselling at all.  There is no one-size-fits-all "right" way of doing this - and I am happy to explore your situation with you to find out what feels right for you. 

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However, if you are already in individual counselling with me, then it wouldn't normally be appropriate to also come to me for couples counselling, as I would have more knowledge about one of you and the other person might not feel entirely comfortable. 

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Practicalities

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To ensure openness and transparency, I ask that all communication wherever possible is made between the three of us, eg if emailing to arrange a session I will email both of you, and ask that you do the same. 

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Similarly, it will not normally be possible to go ahead with a session if one partner is not there. ​​​​

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Sessions can be held face to face or online. 

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Fees are £60 for a one-hour session. ​