“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 …
I’m not attracted to my partner any more. My partner doesn’t seem to be attracted to me. What can we do?
If you are reading this blog you may be in a relationship which has gone a bit stale. You love your partner and perhaps enjoy the family you have created with them. But the sex is non-existent and worse still you are …
Should Step-Parents Discipline?
One of the hardest parenting gigs is being a step-parent. They often find themselves expected to do parenting chores such as running kids to soccer or enduring kid-friendly dinners. They may be expected to put up with attitude from teenagers and share the …
How do I introduce my children to a new partner?
You have separated. Maybe just newly separated. And you have met somebody else. But your children don’t know. Your ex doesn’t know either. And you are not sure how to introduce your children to your new partner, or how you should involve …
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 …
My partner had a miscarriage. What do I do?
While miscarriages are common, the first thing to realise is that your partner’s connection to her baby is unique. So irrespective of how far along the pregnancy was, and how many pregnancies (successful or not) have preceded this one, her experience 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 …
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 …