About Couples Counselling
A calm, supportive space to understand what’s happening, and give love room to return.
You Might be Here Because...
Reaching out for couples counselling can feel like a big step. You might be wondering whether it will help, how it works, and what you can expect, maybe you’ve been quietly researching late at night, hoping something will click.
This page is here to help you understand what couples counselling is, how the process works, and how it can support you to make sense of what’s been happening and begin shifting back toward each other.
Explore What's Going on in Your Relationship
Which of these feel most familiar to you?
Finding Your Way Forward
What’s it like for you?
Maybe the same issues keep coming up, and when you try to talk about them it turns into an argument, or one of you shuts down and things go cold. You might feel disconnected, hurt, frustrated, or like you’re walking on eggshells.
Sometimes it’s not dramatic, just a quiet drifting apart that leaves you feeling alone in the relationship.
And if trust has been broken, you may be carrying heartbreak, anger, or have doubts about the future of your relationship.
If this feels close to home, you’re in the right place.
What is Couples Counselling?
Couples counselling isn’t about taking sides, deciding who’s right, or forcing you to agree with each other. It’s a supportive process that helps you feel heard, get clarity, and understand what’s really happening between you. From there you are in a good position to do something to change the patterns that keep pulling you apart.
When you both feel heard and can appreciate different perspectives, you arrive at a shared view of the problem. Part of our work together is making space for each of your experiences, without blame or judgement.
We also don’t relive every argument or dig up the past for the sake of it. We focus on what’s happening now, and what’s getting in the way of connection.
And while understanding your past history can help you move forward, we do it in a way that feels helpful, and therapeutic.
You are supported throughout the journey with helpful resources and guidance every step of the way.
Every couple is different, and we go at a pace that feels right for you.
A Supportive Process...
- Feel heard
- Supportive process
- Clear shared understanding
- More constructive conversations
- A flexible, evolving process to suit you
- Helpful tools and resources to support you
How Jacqui Works with Couples
I work with couples in a way that is kind, compassionate, and steady — while also being honest and clear about what I see. My role is to create a safe space where both of you can feel heard, and where patterns that are harming the relationship can be gently named and worked with.
I’m not here to take sides or smooth things over at the expense of what matters. At times, that means thoughtfully calling attention to blind spots, boundaries being crossed, or ways of relating that may be leading you further apart — always with care, respect, and your long-term wellbeing in mind.
Some couples benefit from more structure and guidance, others need space to speak openly without things escalating. We’ll find a pace and approach that feels supportive, while still allowing for meaningful progress.
My work is grounded in evidence-based approaches, including the Gottman Method and Relational Life Therapy (RLT), and shaped by years of experience supporting couples through communication breakdowns, trust ruptures, infidelity, trauma, and long-standing resentment.
Learn More About Jacqui's Unique Approach
Common Challenges Couples Face
Every relationship is different, but many couples are struggling with similar challenges. There are often contributing factors too, adding to the complexity and weight of the issues, that may have built up over time.
For many couples, mental health or emotional overwhelm can be part of the picture too. Things like anxiety, depression, ADHD, or trauma-related stress (even from infidelity) and we take that into account with care from the very beginning.
Couples counselling commonly supports partners who are working through things like:
- Communication breakdowns: Arguments that escalate quickly, repeated misunderstandings, shutdowns, or feeling unheard.
- Emotional distance: Feeling more like housemates than partners, or struggling to reconnect after a long period of disconnection.
- Broken trust or infidelity: creating ongoing doubt, loneliness and uncertainty.
- Repeating conflict cycles: Getting stuck in the same arguments without resolution.
- Stress and life transitions: Parenting, family, work pressure, mental health challenges, illness, grief, or major changes that place strain on the relationship.
You don’t need to fit neatly into any one category. Often it’s a combination of complex layers, and part of the work is understanding how these pieces interact, and what’s really driving the tension underneath.
What Change Usually Looks Like
Change in couples counselling is often quieter and steadier than people expect.
It’s not about fixing everything at once, or suddenly feeling happy all the time. More often, it begins with a sense of relief. Conversations become less intense, emotions feel more manageable, and there’s greater clarity about what’s really going on.
Your work together is guided by evidence-based frameworks, including your Gottman assessments, which help us identify your relationship strengths, stress points, and patterns that may be keeping you stuck. This allows sessions to be focused and purposeful, rather than reactive or repetitive.
Progress is also supported between sessions. Many couples find it helpful to use the resources I provide, including the reflective journal, and Smooth Conversations cards (included in the Save My Marriage Program) so insights from sessions can be gently integrated into everyday life.
Over time, couples often notice that:
- Conversations feel safer and more constructive
- Conflict doesn’t escalate as quickly, is contained, and repair happens sooner
- There’s a better understanding of underlying needs and triggers
- Both partners feel more heard and share a sense of belonging
- Trust, warmth, and connection begin to return in small but meaningful ways
Progress looks different for every couple. Some notice shifts quickly, while others move more gradually. What matters is having support, clarity, and tools that help you move forward, rather than feeling stuck or alone.
What Clients Are Saying
Ways to Work Together
If you’re considering couples counselling, the first step is simply to get in touch for a short initial conversation.
This gives you a chance to share what’s been happening, ask questions, and get a sense of whether working together feels right. There’s no pressure, just a supportive starting point.
From there, we begin with an initial counselling session. This session is designed to be valuable in its own right. You’ll have space to feel heard, gain clarity about what’s going on, and start to understand what may help. It also gives you a feel for how I work, and whether my approach suits you and your relationship.
If it feels right to continue, I then support couples through a more structured and guided process, using my Save My Marriage Program.
This approach provides structure and everything you need to make progress and can be adapted to suit your needs.
For couples who want to step away from everyday distractions and focus deeply on their relationship, I also offer a Couples Counselling Retreat, providing an immersive and supported experience in a calm, private setting.
And if you’re not ready for sessions yet, you’re welcome to explore some of the resources and tools available. This is an easy way to learn more about what might help, and lets you take meaningful steps at your own pace.
Getting Started
If you’re ready to take the next step, the best place to begin is to get in touch for a short initial conversation. This is a chance to ask questions, share a little about what’s been happening, and see whether working together feels right for you.
I work with couples in-person at my private, peaceful space in McCrae on the Mornington Peninsula, as well as online via Zoom for couples across Victoria and beyond. We can talk through what works best for you.
When you’re ready, you’re welcome to get in touch.
