Relationships are central to psychological health. Supportive relationships with friends, family, or partners are directly related to an increase in psychological wellbeing, and the reduction of stress, anxiety, and depression. However, by their nature, relationships can be complicated, and building healthy and sustainable relationships can be equally so, thus it is not surprising that relationship counselling is one of the most common services provided by psychologists.
Difficulties in relationships with partners or spouses, children, family, colleagues, employers, or friends are fairly common. A psychologist can help you to identify and mediate issues such as miscommunication, repetitive conflict, beginning relationships, dating, relationship breakdown, or difficulty in either forming or maintaining good relationships. Sessions can be undertaken on an individual, couple, family, or group basis.
Couple counselling is available for heterosexual, same sex couples, married or defacto, and new or well-established relationships.
Relationship counselling can help you, either individually, or as a couple or family, to work out the causes of the problems in your relationships. It can be difficult on your own to see clearly the problems in your relationships, and to work out solutions and mediate the conflict that may be occurring. Relationship counselling provides a supportive and objective environment in which you are able to constructively explore the causes of relationship problems.
Together with a psychologist, relationship counselling provides you with insight, knowledge, skills, and approaches that enable you to change unhelpful relationship patterns, respond productively to relationship difficulties, and ultimately build healthier and more satisfying bonds.