Couples Therapy
At Talk, we offer Gottman Method Couples Therapy, a world renowned evidenced based approach to helping couples repair, rebuild and rejuvenate their relationships.
Developed by Drs John and Julie Gottman in Seattle, WA (USA), we believe it is the gold standard in relationship counselling.
Gottman Method’s principles are based on research conducted over 40 years with over 3500 couples to define what makes a healthy, long lasting relationship.
It includes a comprehensive assessment of the strengths and challenges of your relationship, gained through joint and individual sessions and an online questionnaire to create a unique road map for the couple’s treatment.
Gottman Method Couples Therapy is highly effective in building understanding, fondness, admiration and respect within your relationship, strengthening intimacy and emotional connection, successfully managing conflict and increasing communication, resolving past hurt, supporting each other’s life dreams and shared goals/values, strengthening or rebuilding trust and commitment, and developing the skills to ensure a fulfilling and long lasting relationship.
The relationship assessment.
All couples at Talk complete a relationship assessment prior to beginning treatment sessions. As a difference from alternate approaches to relationship counselling, the assessment process ensures that a comprehensive understanding of the relationship is gained by the therapist and shared with the couple prior to beginning treatment. This ensures the suitability of couples therapy at this time, uncovers the relevant scientific research required to guide the treatment and the core processes behind the couples concerns, and allows the therapist to clearly outline a tailored treatment plan to repair the relationship and reach the couple's goals. The relationship assessment includes four sessions and completion of an online questionnaire.
Session one
The first appointment is a joint session which explores your reasons for seeking couples therapy, the challenges you are experiencing, the history of your relationship, and your goals for your relationship and therapy.
Session two and three
In between session one and two, each partner completes the Gottman Relationship Checkup, an online questionnaire which provides a personalised overview of your experiences in your relationship and in areas relevant to the scientific research. Session two and three are individual appointments for each partner, for your therapist to get to know you better, your history and experiences.
Feedback session
Session four is the feedback and treatment planning session. Your therapist will present you with a detailed overview of the research relating to successful relationships and an individualised plan outlining the strengths and challenges of your relationship and how to meet your relationship goals.
Effective help for…
Relationships, and those within them, can go through a lot. From the moment we partner, we navigate some of the most wondrous highs and painful lows, sometimes acutely and sometimes enduringly. Our relationship therapists know these journeys well and are highly experienced to help all couples to address the challenges. We can provide you effective couples therapy for:Communication difficulties
Conflict resolution
Overcoming an affair or betrayal
Adjusting to parenthood
Strengthening commitment and trust
Resolving past fights and hurt
Gridlocked issues – eg. finances, household duties, parenting
Addressing trauma and relationships
Strengthening friendship
Enhancing connection and intimacy
Creating shared meaning
Supporting each partner’s goals
Addressing addiction concerns for couples
Reducing the impact of mental health, including ADHD, on relationships
Improving passion and romance
And more…