How to improve intimacy in your relationship
Couples I see in couples counselling often state “improving intimacy” as a goal for their work with me. There are different types of intimacy and it’s not all just about sex and touching. Intimacy is also about communication and time together. There …
Couples Counselling for a Cancer Diagnosis
When a person receives a cancer diagnosis it is like a tsunami has hit. One day you wake up and hear news which means life will never be the same again. It’s a shock and it’s surreal. This article addresses the impacts …
Are value differences a deal-breaker for couples?
Many couples in the early stages of their relationship push aside value differences, hoping everything will work out, only to find these differences cause big problems down the track. Differences in values can cause deep resentment between couples and even lead to …
Quick ideas to help you feel closer to your partner
Most couples who come to my Sydney Couples Counselling practice are in crisis. Therapy is often their last hope to save their relationship, and so we need to make progress quickly. Making behaviour changes in your relationship is the quickest way to …
How to survive your relationship during COVID-19
Many couples and families are working-from-home and home-schooling in the same house because of coronavirus. These are important measures that will help contain the COVID-19 pandemic, but I am seeing an increase in anxiety from people who have to self- isolate or …
How to share mental load in a relationship
If it feels like you carry an unequal portion of the domestic duties and mental load around them, then you’re not alone. Inequality between genders was a key finding of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey – 2019 – with …
How do I get my child to open up to me?
Raising resilient children who can tackle their own challenges is something we all strive for as parents. But how do we also ensure they seek our advice if they encounter a difficult problem or they feel anxious about something? Or, in their …
How to stop bickering with your partner
Bickering, niggling ongoing arguments between a couple can really drag a relationship down and lead to general unhappiness for everyone concerned – the couple and any children who are often witness to it. Bickering can also impact extended family and friends if …
Adolescent Violence and Abuse in Families
There is a lot of discussion about violence between adult partners, but very little about teenagers who are violent and abusive towards other family members. As a Family Therapist I meet many parents who feel like they are “walking on eggshells” around …
“My Husband or Wife is always angry” – How to Deal with an Angry Partner
In this article I discuss anger that shows up in a relationship. Typically, there is a complaint by one partner that the other partner is angry all of the time. The ‘anger’ we are talking about here is not violence or abuse …