We are couples specialist with over two decades of experience. We assist partners in traditional and non-traditional relationships and provides pre-marital, couples and marriage counseling in Wellington. Couples often come into therapy feeling alone, unimportant and invisible. They are often hurt, angry and depressed. Sometimes one or both are engaged in extramarital affairs. Sometimes there are conflicts surrounding money, in-laws, sex, parenting and/or work-related themes. These intense emotions create a cycle of alienation, misinterpretation, lack of real communication or intimacy, and fear and anxiety as to the safety and trust within the relationship.
We assist couples in gaining clarity as to the underlying issues that have created the disconnect, helps each partner better understand their own feelings so that they can express them outwardly without fear of repercussion, and assists in developing lines of empathy with one other. We view marriage and couples therapy as a team effort and strives to provide a non-judgmental and safe environment which allows for the authentic expression of each partner. Couples learn healthy ways to express and communicate feelings, heal from past damage, redevelop trust and intimacy, and better resolve ongoing or future conflicts within the relationship.
Many couples present for marriage and couples counseling in crisis and are desirous of being seen together at the initial session. One or both members of the couple is often anxious, depressed, angry at or mistrustful of their partner. We strive to do what is best for couple and this often means seeing each member of the couple individually, at the initial phase, or intermittently throughout the process. Perhaps the couple is not suited for couples therapy. Perhaps one or both of the individuals believe that the therapist will fix the partner and they have no accountabilities for creating the unhealthy dynamic. There are many complexities at hand when assessing the best way forward for the individuals and the couple, and that may entail referring the individual to more specialized treatment to suit their particular needs. Couples therapy is generally the preferred method if the individuals are relatively healthy and capable of working individually and together on the problems in the relationship.
We are here to help with your individual and relationship issues. If you would like to discuss your unique relationship issues, we welcome hearing from you.
