School refusal
As a Family Counsellor I work with a lot of families who have a child who is starting to avoid school or school refusing. Sometimes they have seen several other counsellors before they get to me. Some have been school refusing for …
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 …
“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 …
What do I do if my child/teen doesn’t like my new partner?
How’s it going with your children and your new partner? Do your children like and respect him or her? Does your new partner get along with your children? Are there fights, resentments, complaints? Or do you feel caught between the people you love …
Relationship Communication Skills – The effects of responding to your partner
The most effective way to reduce the frequency of conflict in your relationship is to build goodwill and positive sentiment; put simply, by having a good friendship. It’s very likely you have had a good friendship somewhere in the course of …
Why did my partner cheat on me?
At the Sydney Couple and Family Specialists we see many couples for marriage and relationship counselling – and probably one of the most common (and painful) presentations is when one person has betrayed the other. There are lots of different ways to …
When is controlling behaviour from a partner toxic or abusive?
Many people can appear controlling in a relationship and I certainly see many examples of it in couples counselling. Often controlling behaviours show up because the person is feeling insecure or highly anxious. Anxiety fuels controlling behaviours in relationships. But there …
Worried about Christmas and holiday conflict?
Whilst Sydney (and Australia for that matter) is a beautiful place to be during Summer, Christmas and the holiday season can be a challenging time for couples. The feeling of needing to conform to your family’s expectations during the Christmas break can …
How do you know if alcohol is ruining your relationship? And what can you do if it is?
Couples counselling brings in a lot of successful people – many of them high achievers, big money earners, or simply people are who are highly-regarded and high-functioning at work. But that success often comes with big jobs, long hours, huge mortgages, frequent …
Are extended family or in-laws causing problems within your relationship?
As a Family Counsellor I see this a lot in my couples work as well as in family counselling. Here are a few of the most common complaints I hear: My partner doesn’t like my family or parents and doesn’t …