Finding Couples Therapy Near Me: Australia Mental Health & Relationship Support

Navigating relationship dynamics and family relationships can be challenging. In couples relationships, two people may have very different backgrounds, experiences, and communication styles, which can potentially lead to difficulties throughout the relationship. If your relationship regularly feels strained or you frequently feel frustrated with or misunderstood by your partner, couples therapy—sometimes referred to as couples counselling or relationship counselling—may be a beneficial tool to help you both feel heard. Working with couples counsellors can have an overall positive influence on your life.

In Australia, there are many ways to find and receive relationship counseling from a qualified mental health professional. Let’s go over some ways you can find and meet with a relationship therapist along with what couples counseling looks like, its potential benefits, and additional ways you can support your mental health while in a relationship.

Options for couples therapy near me: Australia

Couples therapy can be a safe and supportive space for you and your partner to discuss your relationship, navigate challenges, and establish goals going forward. Finding a mental health professional in Australia to provide counselling for your relationship can begin either in person or online, depending on your unique needs and preferences.

Finding in-person couples therapy near me: Australia

In-person couples therapy typically involves finding an independent practice located in your area, then traveling to the office with your partner to physically meet with a therapist and participate in counseling sessions.

To find an in-person couples therapist in Australia, you might consider asking your primary physician for a referral to a professional in your area. Alternatively, you could search for providers online or using local directories. Once you have a list of potential providers, you can contact their offices to see if they might be a good fit for your needs (including expertise, location, and pricing) and are accepting new patients.

Finding online couples counselling

Online relationship counselling typically involves you and your partner meeting with a therapist via video call from anywhere with an internet connection. Some providers may also offer sessions via phone or text chat. In many cases, you and your partner may not have to be in the same location in order to receive online therapy as a couple.

There are many platforms that can help you find an online couples therapist in Australia. One option is Regain, which is an online platform dedicated to relationship counseling. Regain is operated by BetterHelp. With Regain, you can simply complete a short questionnaire about your therapy needs and preferences, invite your partner, and then get matched with a couples therapist suited to your needs.

What does couples counselling look like?

Couples counseling can look different for every couple and will depend on your relationship, the challenges you’re facing, and the goals you want to achieve.

The first step is to make an appointment. During couples therapy sessions, your therapist might ask you and your partner to describe some of the situations that have strained your relationship recently. You might describe your disagreements, arguments you had, actions you took, and how different elements made each of you feel. Then, your therapist might walk you and your partner through exercises to improve your communication skills, gain a deeper understanding of one another, and determine next steps for moving forward in a compassionate, healthy way. You might also discuss your expectations for therapy, shared goals for your relationship, and what you can do to accomplish them together. Counsellors also give couples tools and strategies that they can use outside of counselling sessions.

Preparing for Your First Session 

It takes courage to take that first step and make an appointment with a couples therapist, and knowing about upcoming events can make you feel more secure, so it’s good to know ahead of time what to expect. At your first session, the therapist will typically gather information, discuss your goals, set ground rules, and outline a treatment plan. Some counsellors will even offer a free initial interview session for all parties to see if it’s a good fit. All you need to do is to arrive with your partner with an open mind and be willing to engage in the therapeutic process to work on your relationship.

Common relationship challenges addressed with counselling

Counselling can help couples address a wide variety of issues, as stated above. Whether it’s money worries, substance use, or life changes, these types of stress or trauma can lead to challenges within interpersonal relationships. Here are some of the interpersonal challenges that a couples therapist may offer support with:

• Frequent conflict and arguing
• Lack of respect
• Difficulties with communication
• Decreased levels of emotional intimacy
• Unreasonable anger or rage
• Diverging beliefs and values

No matter what the cause, if you and your partner are experiencing any of the above difficulties, a therapist can help partners listen to one another and offer strategies and tools to improve communication and productively solve conflicts.  

Building trust and communication 

Couples therapy takes commitment and hard work. But if both partners are committed to the process and to the relationship, they can use the insights they gain in therapy to address their issues, improve their relationship, and rebuild trust. Communication is of high importance when going through the therapy process and rebuilding trust. Outside of sessions, it’s important not only to find time to talk and connect but also to use the communication skills and strategies learned in therapy sessions. 

Potential benefits of relationship counselling

Research indicates that there are many potential benefits to participating in couples counseling. Studies suggest that it can be effective at reducing relationship distress and mitigating various relationship difficulties. The following are some of the specific benefits you and your partner might see during and after participating in couples therapy.

Improved communication

Being able to effectively communicate with your partner can have a positive impact on your relationship. Conversely, communication challenges can make even small disagreements much more difficult to resolve. A couples therapist can identify opportunities for better communication and offer strategies and exercises that may make it easier to understand one another.

Conflict resolution

Disagreements in relationships can be common, but ongoing conflict may benefit from couples counseling. In a couples therapy session, your therapist can act as a neutral third party to help you understand one another’s point of view and come to an agreeable solution. A couples therapist can also offer tools and strategies on how to approach conflict in the future.

Trust-building

Trust can be essential in any relationship. However, life experiences—such as past trauma or growing up in a divorced household—and certain relationship factors—such as lying or infidelity—can make trust difficult. Couples therapy can be an opportunity to explore what might be impacting your ability to trust one another and to practice honesty, openness, and vulnerability so you can move forward in your relationship with trust at the forefront.

If you are experiencing trauma, support is available. Please see our Get Help Now page for more resources.

Coping skills

Both life and relationships can come with various challenges, from stress to health difficulties to conflicting opinions and more. In couples therapy, you and your partner can learn skills to help you cope with challenges and disagreements. This can be impactful for both your current challenges as well as situations you might experience in the future.

Planning for the future

While in a relationship, you or your significant other might be wondering what’s next for your partnership. Thoughts and ideas about marriage, moving in together, and/or having children can all play a role in how you interact with each other today. Couples therapy can help you not only get on the same page as one another, but also navigate the logistics—like your relationship timeline, where you’ll live, or how you’ll parent.

The role of counsellors 

Counsellors play a very specific role in supporting couples. A relationship therapist will have gained knowledge in their field through their master’s-level coursework in psychotherapy or social work, and they receive supervised training before they can become licensed and practice on their own. With this type of background, they have the skills to help couples communicate, to offer interventions, and to practice mediation within sessions. While they don’t offer concrete advice, they can help the couple work as a team to solve their problems.

Therapeutic approaches 

There are a number of therapeutic approaches that couples therapists will use in their practices. Among the most common are the Gottman method, emotionally focused therapy (EFT), cognitive behavioural therapy, and Imago.  

Couples counseling vs. family counseling

If you haven’t explored therapy before—or have only participated in individual therapy—you might be wondering about the differences between couples counseling and family counseling. Research indicates potential benefits for both forms of therapy, and they can each serve a unique purpose.

Typically, couples counseling involves two people in a romantic, intimate, or otherwise committed relationship with one another. Sessions will typically focus primarily on the relationship between the two people; however, there may also be some challenges to address that relate to other parties or the family as a whole.

Family counseling, however, is typically between various members of the family and could involve more than two people. This could be any combination of parents, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, or anyone else who could benefit from family counseling. Sessions often focus on the dynamic of the family and challenges individuals may be experiencing in relation to one another.

Can you pursue relationship counselling and family counseling simultaneously?

Some individuals may benefit from participating in both relationship and family counseling simultaneously. For instance, an individual who is having some challenges unique to their relationship and other challenges unique to other or multiple members of their family may find that the combination of both forms of therapy helps to effectively resolve them.

Is individual mental health therapy beneficial in relationships?

Some individuals may also find individual therapy to be beneficial for their relationships, whether or not they’re in couples therapy as well. Individual therapy can help you gain a better understanding of yourself and manage any mental health conditions that could be impacting your relationship. 

Therapeutic methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and internal family systems (IFS) can help uncover any distorted thought processes and offer strategies for improved mental well-being both inside and outside of your relationship.

Individual and Family Dynamics [H3]

Individual dynamics affect the family dynamics, which play a role in family relationships and the counselling process. Depending on what kind of childhood and parenting they had in their families of origin, parents can develop various levels of emotional intelligence and relational coping mechanisms. This, in turn, affects their relationships with their partners and their own children, contributing to the overall family dynamic. The family dynamic can create emotional safety and support, or it can contribute to further trauma. The wider communities that families belong to can likewise be supportive or contribute to trauma. When a family enters counseling, the therapist will assess the family dynamics based on all these factors in order to help the family solve problems and improve their communication. Various organizations and programs offer support groups and education that are tailored to helping with family dynamics.     

Additional ways to support your mental health in a relationship

Taking care of your individual mental health can be essential to being fully present in a happy, healthy relationship. In addition to exploring couples therapy options, you might consider additional strategies for supporting your mental health, including:

• Practicing self-care: Read, spend time in nature, create art, or engage in another activity that brings you peace.
• Setting boundaries: Explore what boundaries feel comfortable for you and necessary for your well-being, and consider setting and enforcing them with your partner and other loved ones as needed.
• Building healthy habits: Eat nutritious meals as often as possible, get enough sleep, and exercise regularly.
• Pursuing hobbies: Explore activities and interests that bring you joy, and consider pursuing them either individually or with your partner or other loved one.
• Reaching out to your support network: Spend time regularly with friends and family, either in-person or over phone and video calls.

Potential benefits of pursuing couples therapy online

For many Australian couples, online counselling can be a convenient way to receive care and improve relationship dynamics. Online couples therapy can be particularly beneficial if you and your partner have limited overlapping free time or if you’re living/working in different locations, as online sessions can be joined from anywhere without a commute. Additionally, online couples counseling can often be more affordable than in-person couples counseling, even without insurance.

Is online couples therapy effective?

Research suggests that couples counseling delivered through videoconferencing can often be equally effective as face-to-face therapy.

Additionally, research indicates that therapy delivered through videoconferencing can often be as effective as face-to-face therapy specifically when it comes to building a strong therapeutic alliance, which can be essential to successful therapeutic outcomes.