Relationship & Couples Counselling

Immediate appointments available
Psychologists Online across Australia for counselling, testing and groups - Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Hobart, Perth and Canberra

How can we help?

Psychology Melbourne's marriage and relationship counselling services have provided help for thousands of singles and couples. As Abraham Maslow pointed out, loving relationships and a sense of safety and belonging are a key contributor to mental and emotional health.

Our comprehensive services help with a variety of relationship problems for singles and couples, including communication and commitment issues, sexual issues, emotional intimacy and loneliness, and intergenerational and family issues.

Psychology Melbourne's team of experienced psychologists work with people of all ages, nationalities, and gender identities at every stage of a relationship, including early romantic relationships, the birth of a first child and parenting issues, as well as older age relationships.

Your counselling will start with psychological tests to identify the type of relationship difficulties you are experiencing. This will help guide your psychologist in developing a plan for your future therapy.

Depending on the results of your tests, we will recommend you start on either:

• One-on-one counselling
• Traditional Couples counselling
• PM Couples Counselling Program
• The Relationship Skills group

For more information, please contact our Reception team on 1300 161 639 or email us at info@psychologymelbourne.com.au or use the chat box on this website.

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What is Singles Counselling

Singles counselling is designed for those who may be struggling to cope with a separation or looking for a successful and rewarding relationship. They may experience a variety of problems, such as fear of emotional or sexual intimacy or find being vulnerable unbearable. They may have a fear of commitment and feel trapped in an on-going relationship.

Performance anxiety, sexual difficulties, and traumatic past relationships may also contribute to their difficulties, as well as, feeling unable to cope with infidelity, betrayal, or heartbreak.

Singles counselling covers issues like:

• Grief & loss of a relationship
• Separation anxiety
• Fear of intimacy
• Fear of commitment
• Infidelity and affairs
• Isolation and loneliness
• Poor partner choices
• Partner friendships
• Fear of aggression

The Team of Singles Counselling Psychologists

For more information, please contact our Reception team on 1300 161 639 or email us at info@psychologymelbourne.com.au or use the chat box on this website.

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What is Couples Counselling?

Couples counselling is designed to assist couples who are concerned about the current state of their relationships, have experienced traumatic changes outside their control or who are embarking on a new relationship and want to keep things on track.

They may be concerned about their own or their partner’s level of commitment or have lost emotional and sexual intimacy. They may be constantly arguing about household chores or work schedules or unable to manage parenting and conflicts with in-laws.

Our couples’ counselling provides a safe place for couples to develop a new understanding of each other and rekindle lost love and affection. The knowledge you gain in our couples therapy can help break destructive patterns and build new ones.

Research indicates that many couples leave it too late to seek help and are overwhelmed by the prospect of improving their relationship.

Learning to take responsibility for your own behaviour is a key element of a successful couple's work. Couples often focus more on their partner changing, than being open to changing their own behaviour.

In couples counselling you will cover issues like: (Split this list into 2 columns)

Partners can have diverse backgrounds, interests and personalities which can contribute to relationship issues.

The Team of Couples Counselling Psychologists

For more information, please contact our Reception team on 1300 161 639 or email us at info@psychologymelbourne.com.au or use the chat box on this website.

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How does a Relationship Assessment work?

We provide tailored assessments for both singles and couples to identify and diagnose problems in relationships.

The Singles Relationship package uses a battery of screening tests to identify the nature and type of relationship difficulties you may be having.

This is a 2-session package that will guide your psychologist in developing a plan for your future treatment and assist with your progress.

The Couples Counselling package is a designed to give couples a health check on their relationship and show them what areas they may need to work on with some help. It includes:

• 3 consultations with an experienced couple's psychologist
• 3 online relationship screening tests
• A full report on the couple's areas of strength and difficulty
• Recommendations for future treatment

This helps couples understand how well they are suited to each other and can also help people embarking on a new relationship.

Your psychologist will then recommend the best course of therapy for you.

There are two main psychological treatments for relationship problems: singles, couples, or group counselling, which can all be done online or in-person.

For more information, please contact our Reception team on 1300 161 639 or email us at info@psychologymelbourne.com.au or use the chat box on this website.

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How does Relationship Counselling work?

Singles Counselling

For singles, counselling is conducted by an experienced psychologist, who will discuss the results of your screening tests and develop a plan for how you can learn to have a successful relationship.

During your individual sessions, your psychologist may provide exercises for you to do and recommend various resources and phone apps to help you manage your relationship issues.

Couples Counselling

For couples, we offer two approaches:

• Traditional Couples Program, or
• The PM Couples Counselling Program.

Traditional Couples Program

In the traditional couples’ program, partners will attend sessions with the same psychologist throughout their treatment. This may include some sessions in which each partner attends without their partner present, but generally the couple will work together in most sessions.

Traditional couples counselling works best for partners who can manage their emotions when things get tough. Each partner needs to be able to:

• regulate their emotions and remain connected with fondness and admiration
• communicate in a collaborative and empathetic manner
• maintain and develop standards for self and each other

Continually arguing and fighting during sessions is counter-productive and slows progress. The Couples Counselling Program works better for couples in this situation.

The PM Couples Counselling Program

Psychology Melbourne's Couples Counselling Program has achieved outstanding results with couples who feel stuck and unable to improve their relationship despite previous counselling.

It involves 3 psychologists - one for each partner and one for the couple's work.

You start with a couple's psychologist and then are each assigned to an individual psychologist. This provides a team-approach when working with difficult, entrenched issues.

For many couples, there are often individual issues that obstruct joint sessions. One or both partners may have difficulty regulating their emotions or be unable to express themselves clearly or coherently when working together in the joint session. Individual counselling helps prepare each partner for their couple work.

Past traumatic experiences may also affect how a partner reacts to another, and individual therapy may be required to address these past issues before working conjointly in couple sessions.

Your psychologist will assess the challenges you face in working productively with your partner. They will guide you in what you need to learn and focus on in your joint sessions.

Your individual psychologist is also able to review your couple sessions with you, give you feedback and help prepare you for the next joint session. With your permission, your individual psychologists will be able to speak to each other and your couple psychologist to help support your progress.

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How does Group Counselling work?

Relationship Skills groups

The Relationship Skills group is for singles, who want to understand and learn how to have rewarding and deep connections with others. It is for people looking for a relationship or struggling with a current one.

Group work is extremely rewarding and provides benefits that individual therapy cannot. It gives you valuable access to experienced psychologists at a reduced cost compared to individual counselling.

You can not only gain extra support from the group but seeing how other people tackle problems and make positive changes can teach you new ways of handling your concerns outside the therapy room.

The group is online and led by an experienced psychologist with specialised group training. You will be working online with 6 – 10 people, with similar concerns for 4-6 sessions on a weekly basis.

Regularly talking and listening to others also helps you feel heard and understood and puts your own problems in perspective.

You can learn more about our Relationship Skills group here.

Couples Therapy Group

The online Couples Group is for 4 - 5 couples who are keen to learn more about healthy relationships; how others relate; and improve their current situation.

It is for couples who want to:

• Improve their current relationship
• Want to ‘grow’ together
• Want to be proactive about their future
• Have a deeper understanding of their partner and themselves

By attending this 6-session online group, you will gain confidence and understanding about how you interact with your partner and what you can do to change or to strengthen in your relationship.

Couples often feel they are the only ones struggling to have a healthy relationship and hearing what others are going through can be a huge relief.

Seeing other couples tackle problems and make positive changes can help you and your partner face your own concerns.

Register your interest about our Couples group here.

If you have any questions or concerns, you can speak to the Reception team on 1300 161 639 or email us at info@psychologymelbourne.com.au or use the chat box on this website.

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What relationship therapies do we use?

Psychology Melbourne’s relationship psychologists use several different therapeutic approaches, depending on their practice background, the presenting issues, and the couple’s concerns.

At times they might use a combination of techniques. They may need to address challenging behavioural and communication patterns, and sexual, intimacy, and other contextual issues which may be affecting the couple’s relationship.

All the therapies used in our practice have a sound theoretical basis and are supported by the evidence of research comparing different treatments and systematic reviews.

• Attachment theory
• Emotion-focused couple counselling
• Gottman Method for couple's therapy
• CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy) integrated into couple work
• Family Systems Therapy
• Psychodynamic Couples Counselling
• Interpersonal therapy
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
• Narrative Therapy
• Integrative Relational Therapy (IRT)

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How much does it cost?

Assessments

The fee for the Singles Relationship package is $550 per person. It is available Monday to Saturday before and after hours online.

The fee for the Couples Counselling Package is $950 per couple. It is available Monday to Friday, before and after hours online.

If you have a Mental Health Care Plan, a Medicare rebate may apply to each partner with a Mental Health Care Plan from their GP (General Practitioner).

Once you have purchased either of these packages, reception will contact you to arrange an appointment time. Prior to your first singles/couples’ assessment session, you will be required to fill in a battery of online psychological screening tests.

Register your interest in the Singles or Couples packages here.

For further information, contact our reception on 1300 161 639 or email us at info@psychologymelbourne.com.au.

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Counselling

Singles Counselling

We have a large team of male and female relationship psychologists who provide in-person and online couples counselling. They are available six days a week, for sessions both before and after working hours, as well as, all day on Saturdays.

Psychology Melbourne’s fees for Singles counselling are as follows:

• Consultations with a clinical psychologist start from $275 and a Medicare rebate of $141.85 may apply for each session you attend, making an out-of-pocket fee of $133.15 per session. 
• Consultations with a registered psychologist start from $230 and a Medicare rebate of $96.65 may apply for every session you attend, making an out-of-pocket fee of $133.35 per session.

Psychology Melbourne’s fees for Couples’ counselling are as follows:

• Couples' sessions with a clinical psychologist start from $330 and a Medicare rebate of $141.85 may apply for each session you attend, making an out-of-pocket fee of $188.15 per session.
• Couples' sessions with a registered psychologist start from $280 and a Medicare rebate of $96.65 may apply for every session you attend, making an out-of-pocket fee of $153.35 per session. 

Please note, the fee for the individual sessions is the same as above.

If you intend to claim a Medicare rebate when working conjointly with a partner or family member, the person with the MHCP (Mental Health Care Plan) must be present during the session. Only the person with MHCP can receive a Medicare rebate, and one rebate per session applies.

Please note:

• The fees for consultations differ between in-person and online sessions. There is an additional fee of $10 for appointments scheduled before 9 am and after 5 pm weekdays, as well as, for appointments throughout the day on Saturdays.
• Medicare rebates are available for 10 one-on-one counselling sessions per calendar year if you have a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP.
• To access funded services from a third party, such as Workcover or NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme), you must provide approved claim details 48 hours before your first session. If, for any reason, approval is not provided, you will be responsible for full payment, or appointments may be cancelled. A gap fee of $20 per session may apply.
• A reduced fee is considered on request for clients under financial hardship with a letter from your GP confirming your financial situation.
• Fees can be paid by EFTPOS, VISA, or MasterCard. Please note that we do not accept American Express or Diners Club.
• Bulk Billing is not available at our clinic.

For more information, please contact our Reception team on 1300 161 639 or email us at info@psychologymelbourne.com.au or use the chat box on this website.

Relationship Skills Groups

Group therapy is not just clinically effective, it is cost effective as well. The cost of the online singles’ Relationship Skills group is $510 for 6 sessions.

The cost of theonline Couples Group including all 6 sessions is $510.

Medicare rebates may be available if you have a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP.

• Groups run by a clinical psychologist cost $510 and a Medicare rebate of $34.60 may apply in telehealth eligible areas, making an out-of-pocket fee of $309.30 or $50.40 per session.
• Groups run by a registered psychologist cost $450 and a Medicare rebate of $23.70 may apply in telehealth eligible areas, making an out-of-pocket fee of $312.60 or $51.30 per session.

Please note:

• We require prepayment of all groups prior to the start date.
• Medicare rebates are available for 10 1-hour group sessions per year if you have a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP and are within a telehealth eligible area.
• Afterpay is available for the initial cost of the group and rebates are sent to your nominated account after each session

For more information, please contact our Reception team on 1300 161 639 or email us at info@psychologymelbourne.com.au or use the chat box on this website.

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How do I make an appointment?

Singles appointments

For online appointments you can book online here or call our Reception team on 1300 161 639 or email us at info@psychologymelbourne.com.au or use the chat box on this website.

Reception will find an appointment time that suits you best and will reserve 3 future appointments in the diary so that you can keep your place in your psychologist’s diary. Appointments after that will be made between you and your consultant.

We understand that changes to your appointments are sometimes necessary, but we urge you to notify us as soon as possible to avoid cancellation fees. You will be sent an SMS reminder four (4) days before your appointment.

For in-person appointments we have strict precautions in place at all our locations for your safety. If you are feeling unwell, have any symptoms of fever, or have tested positive for COVID-19, we ask you to use our online counselling services until you are well again.

Please bring your Mental Health Care Plan to your first session or email it to us at info@psychologymelbourne.com.au. Alternatively, you can ask your GP to fax this through to us on 03 9957 8122.

Couples Appointments

Couples Assessment Package

For the Couples Assessment package, you can sign up on the SHOP on our website HERE

Group appointments

We require prepayment of all groups prior to the start date. You can purchase the group on our website or call our Reception team for assistance on 1300 161 639 or email us at info@psychologymelbourne.com.au or use the chat box on this website.

Once you have enrolled in the group, you will be sent several forms to complete before the group starts. If you have any questions about forms, please speak to our helpful Reception team. The forms are required to be completed 24 hours before the group starts.

You will need to join the online group 10 minutes before it starts to ensure there are no technology problems. Assistance on the night is only available for 10 minutes before and after the start time.

Alternatively, we can show you how to join on the day prior to the group starting.

If you have any technology problems, please check your audio and video are working properly as well as your Wi-Fi connection. Refresh your browser if you are still experiencing problems.

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Do you have problems in your relationship?

Communication problems

Do you and your partner feel you are constantly on different wavelengths? Are you having the same discussions or arguments, feeling as if they are resolved, only to have them resurface and cause more damage? Or do you have things that you would like to discuss with your partner that you hold back on because you do not want to cause conflict? Do you often feel you are walking on eggshells around each other? Do you yearn for, yet struggle to have compassionate and open communication? If your conversations constantly deteriorate into intense arguments or wounded silences, it is time to reach out for help. Sometimes having a skilled couple's psychologist in the room can be the only way to get things moving in a positive direction.

Spending time together?

Do you feel like you are just sharing the same physical space? Are you living separate lives, never setting time aside for you to bond and reconnect? If you are not feeling the spark anymore, seek professional help to identify ways to foster intimacy and care in your relationship.

A successful relationship should provide the space, security and support each partner needs to discuss the most sensitive things without feeling judged or exposed to retribution. Without that, one or both partners can feel tempted to seek intimacy outside the relationship. Generally, affairs only make things worse, destroying trust and often causing deep emotional wounds that can spark resentment and tit-for-tat conduct. Working with a trained and experienced psychologist can help you and your partner find each other again and meet on a new level of intimacy.

Diminished physical intimacy

Have your intimate physical connections gone missing? Do you bicker over the frequency (or infrequency) of sex or one of you feels constantly rejected? Sometimes a partner's desires can be diminished by external situations like stress at work or being run down. An experienced psychologist can help a couple open a dialogue on sensitive issues that allow problems to be identified and repaired. Whatever the problem, the relationship and couples' psychologists at Psychology Melbourne can help.

Family Problems

All families have their challenges and go through tough times, whether they are developmental problems, communication problems, or health and medical problems. Sometimes these can be overwhelming.

Some families do not have enough support to help the parents manage their problems. Some are overworked and under-resourced. Problems can arise with children growing up, relationships between siblings, and with older parents needing more assistance.

Adult families can also have their problems: competition between adult siblings and their families, different values and politics, and conflict over managing ageing parents.

Here are some signs of trouble in family relationships:

• Intolerance of different opinions, beliefs, values, or goals
• Different approaches to parenting
• Breakdown in communication and avoiding each other
• Repetitive arguing with no resolution
• Bullying, harassment, and family violence
• Financial difficulties, bickering and inappropriate control
• Ageing parents and differences relating to their care
• Mental health problems
• Pressures relating to natural disasters and unforeseen events

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