As an integrative relationship counsellor, I provide couples therapy and work with families. In this capacity, I help clients to address and overcome their difficulties and potentially enrich their relational lives. Perhaps your relationship is at a crisis point; you are finding that it is stuck in a painful or vicious cycle of hurt and accusations. Perhaps there are entrenched conflicts preventing you from moving forward together. Maybe one of you is being ‘cold’, distant, and turning away from engagement while the other is feeling emotionally frustrated and desperate for connection. There might be a lack of desire for intimacy or sex. You may feel that trust has been shattered. Perhaps there are conflicts around levels of commitment. These are the kinds of issues that I can help you with. In couples therapy we work together at disentangling things in order to improve your relationship.
Integrative Couples Therapy
I use a variety of theoretical orientations in couples therapy. These include systems, psychodynamic, developmental, existential, attachment and new wave modalities. This enables a flexible approach. As an integrative practitioner I will call on the different theoretical approaches as and when they seem most relevant and helpful. For example, some couples may have a very reactive or volatile relationship because of the influences of their formative years as children or teenagers. This may call upon psychodynamic and attachment approaches. Alternatively, there may be judgmental and defensive attitudes during communication that precipitate hurtful and accusatory language. Here a more cognitive approach may be beneficial. Sometimes, there can be changes and differences in how people see a relationship working and evolving. This may be due to challenges or adjustments in life circumstances. Such things may require a developmental or systems understanding.
Preparing for Therapy
It can be very helpful to have a sense of your expectations and goals for couples therapy. What is the outcome that you are hoping to achieve? What kind of relationship would you like to have by the time the sessions have finished?
With couples therapy, it is much easier and usually far more fulfilling and achievable to look inwardly and change yourself than to expect others to do the changing. In what areas do you feel your relationship works? What do you value from your relationship? Alternatively, in what sense are there gaps and what can you do to fill the gaps if, indeed, you want them filling? How might you find a way to negotiate the kind of relationship you would rather have? How can you explore and create a new way forward where you both feel a renewed sense of fulfilment? It is my job to help you find ways to resolve differences, gain insights about each other, and amplify the positives while minimising the negatives.
I qualified with distinction as a relationship and couple’s therapist having completed specialist training at The Grove Practice in King’s Cross. This course was accredited by COSRT at Level 5. My charge per session is £100 for 50 minutes or £150 for 90 minutes. I look to do 6 sessions initially culminating with a review where you might consider how things are going. Then a decision can be made moving forward. I think it can be beneficial with couples counselling to set a fixed term. Typically, I might aim to complete after 12 sessions but sometimes couples want more and that’s fine too.
Feel free to contact me using the online form or by email
