Couples Therapy in Perth
How can couples counselling help
When partners become triggered, they can easily react defensively, misinterpreting each other and reacting in ways that can further hurt each other.
Couples become stuck in these defensive responses and have no way to get out of these stuck positions on their own. They require the therapeutic holding and containment of a couple’s counsellor to manage the intense emotional affect, to re-align the couple and help them to become unstuck from these defensive behaviours.
Couple therapy provides a safe atmosphere for couples to open up to each other. This allows them to reach the real essence of how they feel. When they see what is really behind their reactions, they get a better understanding of each other, so they can respond to each others needs.
Couples can then see each other more clearly, while understanding each other’s real needs within the relationship, rather than reacting and misunderstanding each other.
We allow spouses to understand the part that they each contribute towards their problems to help them rebuild a stronger foundation for their relationship.
What to expect from the first couples therapy session.
- Counseling for couples doesn’t permit blaming, judging, or labelling each other.
- Therapy is not about finding fault in each other or criticizing each other; these behaviors escalate the defensive interaction that keep them stuck and injured.
- You will be encouraged to express your feelings about your experience in the relationship, rather than focus on the other.
- Each partner will have time to be heard without interruption from the other.
- Partners are facilitated to express what feelings underlie their reactions, within the safety of the therapeutic environment.
- Defensive reactions will be removed, to enable a safe therapeutic encounter, while containing uncomfortable emotions underneath.
- Couples learn to slow down their reactions while listening each other, without instantly jumping in to defend themselves.
- Instead of reacting to discharge pain, couples learn to get in touch with what they’re’ feeling, so they can express themselves in a calm manner, and can be heard.
- By dismantling the defensive patterns of interaction, they gradually find new ways of relating.
- The therapist will assess how couples get stuck and assist the couple to not repeat these patterns.
After the first couple counseling session together, each partner will attend an individual session. After this initial assessment process, it will be clear how to work with the couple dynamic and the aspects that affect each partner. Then regular co-joint sessions will allow partners enough time to work through areas that cause stagnation in the relationship.
In order to overcome stuck patterns and create new ways of relating, a minimum of six sessions are usually required. Overcoming these stuck behaviors with healthier interactions can be achieved if the couple endure more long term therapeutic couples work.
Couples therapy dismantles defensive patterns of interaction in order to help couples get in touch with the underlying hurt in a way that invites their partner to respond. This builds new bonding moments and helps couples to repair from attachment injuries that are evoked in each other .
Build a stronger foundation for your relationship today and call 0449861147
We have success with couples who are committed to working on the relationship and put the effort in to take responsibility for change.
An investment in your relationship can save you on legal fees, keep your family together and help you recover the most important years of your life. A happy relationship leads to a happy life, for you and your family.