Relationship & Marriage Counselling Canberra

I can help you with…

  • Relationship therapy
  • Family disputes
  • Divorce or separation guidance
  • Marriage/couples counselling for infidelity
  • Relationship break ups
  • Online relationship counselling
  • Hypnotherapy for relationship issues

Fast and permanent results. Take the first step

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Do you want to be part of the 33% of marriages that end in divorce, or the many more non-married couples that end in break up?

What causes a break in relationships?

Many couples don’t know how to establish the basis for a positive, healthy, long-term relationship.

Because of this, you may find yourself stuck in an unhealthy relationship and inevitably be forced to have a break at some point.

4 reasons most relationships fail (even when both of you want it to work):

Failure to communicate:

Communication is vital to a healthy relationship.

Many people feel unable to tell their partner how they’re feeling, what they want and what they’re unhappy about in a constructive, consistent manner.

Trust problems:

A lack of trust, whether it relates to faithfulness or money, can have a negative impact on any relationship.

Causes of distrust may include cheating, conflict (fights or arguments), lying, abusive behaviour or being unfaithful.

Different priorities:

For a long-term relationship to work, partners need to have common goals.

Shifting goals, particularly if they are moving further apart, can wreak havoc with relationships

Domestic abuse:

Physical, mental or financial abuse can happen.

Inevitably, this leads to significant problems in your relationship.

Book a consultation

Unhealthy relationships

Some relationships are toxic from the word go, others start off as healthy, but become less so as time goes on.

Here are eight signs you’re in an unhealthy relationship:

  • Conflict
  • Codependency
  • Inability to communicate
  • A lack of “closeness” (emotional intimacy)
  • Abuse
  • Drug or alcohol issues
  • Passive aggressive behaviour
  • Bearing a grudge

If you are experiencing any of these issues, it could well be that your relationship isn’t working as it should.

How to mend a relationship

Lasting relationships look and feel like the opposite of an unhealthy one.

Turning a relationship around so that it becomes long-lasting and positive requires change on both sides.

Seven things you must do to have a healthy relationship

  • Build and maintain trust
  • Communicate openly and honestly
  • Share common goals and aspirations
  • Work on your own individual behaviour
  • Be assertive, not aggressive
  • Compromise, admit fault, apologise and move on from arguments
  • Look at situations from a “we” and “our” perspective, rather than a “me” and “I” stance.

How to fix a toxic relationship

For most couples, when it comes to saving your relationship, therapy is the most common and effective option.

Couples therapy allows couples to explore their differences in a safe, open environment.

A skilled therapist ensures that both parties are able to give their views, then works with them to establish healthier ways of operating.

The aim is to enable couples to come up with solutions that work for them, helped by input from the therapist.

But therapy is only one part of the process…

There also needs to be a real commitment to doing things differently and working together in a healthier way.

What therapy does is give couples the time and space to explore their feelings about each other and the relationship, as well as help to identify what the issues are and what might be the best way of resolving them.

Therapy can often provide insights simply talking alone together can’t, offering couples a fresh perspective on their relationship.

How to keep a relationship alive following infidelity

One of the biggest challenges to any relationship is trying to repair it after one or both partners have been unfaithful.

Almost inevitably there is an enormous amount of hurt and anger; it may feel as if there is no way forward, or that the guilty party can never be trusted again.

If you wish to look at how to fix a relationship after cheating, therapy is a very good idea.

A therapist can provide the outside perspective needed, as well as possibly suggest strategies to use in order to help resolve the negativity which is an almost inevitable result of infidelity.

Don’t suffer in silence.

Let’s chat about how we can work together to get you back on track.

Book a Consultation

Explore our other services

Weight Loss
Chronic Illness and Pain
Depression and Anxiety
Quit Smoking
Addictions

Why choose us?

Customised therapy

You will be treated with a personalised plan for your relationship.

There is no such thing as a “one size fits all” plan when it comes to finding a therapy that will get the results you’re looking for.

Speedy results

Your treatment will be made with the goal of improving your relationship fast.

Often the problems in relationships have developed over a long period of time: rather than worrying about the past, it’s more productive to concentrate on the here and now in order to achieve the change you want to see.

Focusing on the present, a plan will be created to help you move forward.

Proven tools and techniques

You will be using research proven strategies to improve your relationship

Lasting results

The strategies you learn learn and implement will set you up for a healthy relationship that lasts a lifetime.

Expert support

You will be getting help from an industry expert with nearly twenty years of experience in psychotherapy, counselling and hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy for marriage & relationships?

Many people ask, “Can hypnotherapy help with issues in relationships?”

The short answer is, “Yes!”

Sometimes specific issues like alcohol, gambling or drug addiction are the underlying cause for relationship problems.

Hypnosis can be a powerful tool to help in such situations, assisting couples to mend their relationship.

Together, we can do it.

With customised treatments suited to you, a happy and fulfilled life is within reach.

Call To Discover How

Counselling for marriage & relationships – what is relationship counselling?

Relationship counselling is one of the most helpful therapies for poor relationships.

Relationship counselling services, or marriage counselling, allows the individuals involved in the relationship to express their emotions and thoughts in a safe, and positive environment.

Through the therapist asking skilled questions, couples are able to come up with their own ideas, strategies and plans to behave in a healthier way when it comes to their relationship.

Customised treatments to meet your needs

If you value the opportunity to explore your relationship in more detail with a new view and try to get it back on the right track..

Book an initial session by calling 0424 046 175.

When you come in, together we will create a plan to help your relationship become healthy.

Location

My clinic is located conveniently in Garran and provides a safe, supportive and empowering environment to help you facilitate profound and lasting change.

Address

38 Brereton Street, Garran, Canberra ACT 2605

Many clients in the outer regions of ACT and NSW call to arrange appointments to fit their schedule and lifestyle.

Testimonials

Our relationship was falling apart because we didn’t know how to talk to each other. After only a couple of sessions, we began to communicate more effectively. I can’t thank Ilona enough for the help she gave us.
Mr W, Red Hill, Canberra
We genuinely thought our marriage was over after my husband’s affair. Ilona worked with us to help us move forward and find more positive ways of communicating with each other. A year later and we are still much happier and moving forward together. Our marriage is stronger than ever!
Mrs M, Canberra

Frequently Asked Questions

  • It’s important that your partner attends, as couple therapy involves both members of the partnership.

    That said, some people may find it easier to come alone initially, with their partners becoming involved at a slightly later date.

    Come in for your initial consultation and the timing of your partner joining will be planned to best facilitate your relationship’s treatment.

  • The cost of couple counselling depends on the number of sessions required.

    We are committed to achieving the changes which couples want to see as soon as possible, which is why we focus on constructive approaches that help to promote positive behaviour and empower couples to find their own solutions to issues.

    Once you have had your first session, you will be able given a rough idea on how many more sessions might be required, enabling a rough estimate of costs to be made.

    Bear in mind that not all relationship therapy progresses at the same rate: one couple may only need a few sessions, others may need slightly more.

  • Relationship counselling is a personalised process of developing ways of avoiding future conflict and restoring intimacy.

  • Yes, providing you and your partner have a strong intention to improve your relationship.

  • Each of the couple explains in turn why they think the relationship has become “rocky”. The therapist helps each partner to see the issues from the others point of view. The couple is supported by the therapist to come up with solutions and changes.

  • If you are consistently experiencing frustration, unhappiness, resentment, jealousy, constant conflict or any other negative emotions towards your partner, and you want to save your relationship – yes, you need relationship counselling.

  • When you first notice the relationship is falling apart, and intimacy is diminishing.

  • A process involving all members of the family where tensions and problems can be sorted out by the therapist helping each member to understand another member’s point of view.