Are you looking for a relationship counsellor? Couples counselling is variously called, marriage counselling or relationship counselling. We see couples, whether married or de facto, in straight or same-sex relationships as well a pre-marital counselling. Every couple is different and there is no rulebook but here are some common patterns. Today in Aotearoa New Zealand many couples and families are going through unprecedented levels of stress, from the uncertainty of the Covid pandemic to the ongoing housing crisis.
Sometimes relationship conflict is a symptom of external social and finacnial issues. So if you or your partner are under increasing stress, resulting in increased conflict, rather than taking it out on one another, consider couples counselling, so you can get on the same page and face the challenges together. Counselling provides a safe place to address such everyday issues. The therapist provides a neutral non-judgmental third party to help kept discussions on-track, civilised and calm.
The couple can then talk without getting emotionally overloaded. The therapist can help identify deadlocks where talking just goes around and around without getting anywhere , or impasse where the couple has come to a standstill and neither partner feels that they can move , or misunderstanding where the couple are talking past each other. Slowing and deepening communication allows each partner gets the other's point of view. With communication freed up, the couple can then negotiate constructively.
Counselling will help you remember the strengths that each of you bring to the relationship as well as remind you of all the good things about the relationship that tend to get lost in times of distress. Developing and maintaining a fulfilling sexual life for both partners in a long-term relationship can pose many challenges for couples. This is subject to many different factors from both inside and outside the relationship.
This may be related to many different issues including:. Life challenges can strain marriages and relationships as the couple struggle to adapt to changed circumstances.
