Couples Therapy

Most couples experience challenging times in their relationship and sometimes we may find ourselves in patterns of conflict, unresolved tension or struggling to repair trust with our partner.

The aim of couples therapy is to create a safe, non-judgmental space where you can come together to gain a better understanding of the dynamics at play and work together to create a path forward.

Andrew Forrest is an experienced, compassionate couples therapist. His approach to couples therapy is evidence based and primarily informed by Gottman Couples Therapy and The Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy. Andrew’s approach creates a space for both partners to feel comfortable as they reconnect. His aim as a couples therapist is to help identify the strengths and challenges in a relationship and then to work through these in order to promote trust, commitment and friendship. This occurs within an environment of calm and non-judgement to allow for both parties to express themselves freely and move towards a deeper understanding and appreciation.

Andrew acknowledges that seeking support for your relationship, marriage or partnership can feel daunting at first. Speaking with a psychologist for the first time may not feel easy and Andrew will take every care to support you and your partner with respect, compassion and understanding throughout your sessions together.

    • Strengthening communication

    • Addressing unresolved conflict

    • Rekindling desire and develop stronger intimacy as a couple

    • Adjusting to changes as a couple:

    • Marriage & partnered commitment

    • Moving in together

    • Starting a family

    • Re-establishing trust in the relationship

    • Transitioning to a long-distance relationship

    • Caring for an ill parent or family member

    • Post-natal depression or anxiety

    • Amicable divorce:

      • Changes to custody or shared parenting arrangements

      • Re-negotiating roles within a new family system

    • Parenting

    • Managing mental health issues

    • Trust and commitment

    • Emotional distance and loneliness

    • Sex and sensuality

    • Disengagement from the relationship

    • Work-life-family balance

    • Trauma

  • Alongside Gottman and Psychobiological interventions, Andrew utilises a variety of evidence based approaches to to support couples depending on their goals including:

    • Client Centred Therapy

    • Schema Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

    • Emotion Focused Therapy

How do we begin?

Couples Therapy begins across three intake sessions; an initial session together, an individual session for each partner and then coming back together for a third session to decide on a path for moving forward together in therapy. These initial sessions allow you to begin the process of exploring what has brought you to therapy, to establish an atmosphere of trust and decide together on the aspects of your relationship that you would like to focus on during your future sessions.

One

Initial Couples Session

The purpose of the first session is to lay out some simple ground rules for therapy, and then to talk openly about the challenges you may be experiencing as a couple.

Within this session you will have the opportunity to talk through the history of your relationship including how you met and the major milestones in your partnership, as well as exploring how you manage conflict.

Two

Individual Sessions

Following your initial couples session, you’ll each attend a separate session.

The purpose of this is to gather further history from you as individuals, as well as to see if either party would benefit more from individual therapy before taking the plunge into couples therapy.

These sessions can help to gain a deeper understanding of the dynamics at play on an individual level.

Three

Pathfinding Session

In the third session, you attend together to discuss the plan for moving forward.

This session is to identify the areas in which your relationship may benefit most from therapy, and to decide together on a plan for the future.

Within this session, you will discuss future sessions and the frequency of sessions together to work towards the goals you’ve set as a couple.

"A couple’s emotional life together and their physical life together each have their ebbs and flows, their ups and downs, but these don’t always correspond. They intersect, they influence each other, but they’re also distinct.”

— Esther Perel

Not sure if couples therapy is right for you and your partner?

Andrew offers a free 15 minute phone consultation to couples considering therapy. To book a consultation, please contact us.