Couples Therapy

If your relationship needs to change, there are fundamental insights and tools that can help you build a caring, supportive, and fulfilling partnership.

My approach Work with me FAQs Ready? Start intake

My approach

I have specialised training in couples therapy, and am New Zealand’s only certified therapist in Relational Life Therapy (RLT), a modern approach designed by renowned therapist Terry Real to go beyond surface-level fixes and transform relationships at their core.

Benefits of RLT

RLT is different to traditional couples therapy - it's direct, efficient, and the techniques you will learn can restructure even long-standing patterns. With the understanding and skills you will gain, you'll be able to:

Spot unhealthy patterns arising and stop them in their tracks;
Make sense of why you each act and react the way you do;
Manage high emotions so that problems can be tackled more successfully;
Use effective strategies to get your needs met without having to pull away from or pursue your partner;
Speak in a way that your partner can hear and understand;
Listen in a way that shows your partner you really get it;
Resolve past hurts and repair conflicts properly;
Navigate differences with respect;
Create a deeply connected relationship that's about more than just getting by.

This approach is for you if:

You are willing to try new strategies to create a healthier relationship dynamic.
You value self-reflection and insight, and also want take-away tools and resources to see change at home.
You feel ready to invest your time and energy in creating a strong relationship.

What you can expect:

A clear understanding of how and why the difficulties have arisen between you.
A focus on accountability and what you can each do to make a real difference.
Knowledge and resources for what to do at home between sessions when patterns arise.
A comfortable, engaging environment to work through tough issues with humour and heart.

What you won't get:

Endless sessions without seeing results;
A slow, indirect approach - I respect my clients' time and believe in their capacity to make significant changes.

Even if things have gotten difficult or distant between you, transformation is possible when both partners are willing to engage fully both within and between our meetings. You will see real and satisfying progress at home as you apply what is learned in therapy to your everyday life.

So if you and your partner are ready for an honest, supportive journey toward a deeper connection, let's work together.

Work with me

I give every couple I work with my full attention, and I respect the significant time, energy, and financial investment couples need to make in therapy, so there is an intake process that helps us to know if my approach is the right fit for your relationship goals and mindset.

Intake Steps:

Start by filling out the intake form (you both need to fill it out separately).
When I've received both, I will review them and email you after screening if I need some more info or if I think you might benefit from working with a different style of therapy or getting some other support first.
If it looks like all systems are go, I'll send you the booking link for the initial 110-min intake session and consent forms.

If you're not sure about couples therapy, take a look at my article 6 Reasons Why Couples Therapy Might Not Work. That will give you a few further ideas to reflect on and help you make your decision whether to pursue couples counselling at this time.

FAQs and costs are below, and please don't hesitate to send me an email if you have more questions before filling out the questionnaire.

FAQs

1. What's the cost?

Our first 110-minute intake session allows us to take a deep dive into your relationship dynamics, setting a strong foundation for real progress - $350.

Subsequent sessions are 90mins at $290.

Once we've covered the foundations and are making good progress, some couples feel confident to reduce to 60min sessions at $195.

2. How often do we need to come to sessions?

To begin with, weekly or fortnightly. Focus and momentum is key in couples therapy. Honestly, the more regularly you can come to sessions and the more you intentionally work on things at home between sessions, the sooner you will see meaningful progress.

Depending on the couple, the issues, and the progress, we might continue this frequency for the first 4-8 sessions or so, then discuss whether longer gaps between sessions will work.

3. What are we going to talk about in couples sessions?

We'll dive into the areas that matter most to your relationship: What you want from your relationship, what you do well, what you're not so hot at. Where you learned these things (parents, previous relationships), how to manage your feelings better, how to stop yourself from doing things that aren't helpful and what you can do instead. How to be nicer to yourself and your partner, how to ask for what you need effectively, when to hold your ground and how to compromise. Sex and intimacy and making it work for you. How to really say sorry and how to really forgive. How to cherish each other. How to sort out the household chore arguments. How to talk about any difficult topics. And lots more.

3. Where is your office?

I have a lovely office in the centre of Birkenhead, on the North Shore. Birkenhead is just over the Harbour Bridge if you're coming from the city. There's lots of great cafes and restaurants in the area and free street parking. I also provide sessions on Zoom if you aren't local, and it's a good back-up option to have in case any of us have a cold or your childcare falls through.

4. What time do you do sessions?

My client days are Tuesday - Friday. I have a range of times available throughout the day, generally finishing between 6-7pm each day. I do not work Saturday - Monday.

5. Do you do a discount for younger couples?

Yes! I love supporting younger couples who are establishing careers and building their lives together, so if you are both under 30 I am happy to discount the session rate by 10%.

Apply Now