Leah Gous Counselling Psychologist
Couples Therapy
When we have been in a relationship or marriage for a long time, it can be easy to fall into a trap of not listening to the other person or not communicating our needs clearly.
Couples Therapy
Learn how to listen to each other
and to appreciate the other's point of view
In some instances couples experience challenges such infidelity and substance abuse, which can cause or exacerbate existing communication problems and frequent conflict. Sometimes talking to an independent third party, someone with no connection to yourself or your partner, may provide a needed perspective which either or both of you, may lack.
Couples counselling is a collaborative process and a form of therapy that looks to improve communication and resolve issues within an intimate relationship. In contrast to counselling for relationship issues, which can be undertaken solely through individual sessions, couples counselling can only be done with both partners present during the therapy sessions.
In couples counselling I work with couples during the sessions, but also require couples to complete tasks when at home. During the sessions, some of the time is attributed to talking about your tasks and to discuss any challenges you faced and how the experience was for you.
Therapeutic goals of Couples Counselling
Couples counselling provides an opportunity for you as a couple to talk to someone who is objective to your current situation, and who possesses the necessary skills and training to help you through your concerns.
The overall aim of couples counselling is to help you achieve the following:
Understand how external factors such as family values, religion, lifestyle and culture affect your relationship.
Reflect on the past incidents and how it impacts on the present.
Communicate in a more constructive way.
Negotiate and resolve conflicts where possible.