Do both partners need to attend every session?

Yes — couples work happens with both of you in the room. Occasional individual sessions can be arranged if useful, with the agreement of both partners, but the focus remains on the relationship between you.

How long does couples counselling usually take?

Most couples find meaningful change within 8–20 weekly sessions, though shorter focused work and longer-term support are both possible. We'll review progress together so you know where you stand.

Do you work with unmarried or LGBTQ+ couples?

Yes. This work is open to couples of any configuration, orientation, or relationship structure. What matters is that you want to work on the relationship together.

What if only one of us wants to come?

Couples counselling works best when both partners are willing, even if you're not sure it'll help. If your partner isn't ready, individual relationship counselling may be a better starting point — I'm happy to discuss options on a call.

Couples Counselling

Couples Counselling in Richmond

Couples counselling offers a calm, neutral space for two people to be heard — often for the first time in months. Whether you're navigating a specific rupture or a slow drift apart, it can help you understand each other again and decide together what you want next.

Many couples arrive feeling defensive, exhausted or hopeless. The room is a place to slow down, reduce blame, and look at the patterns that keep you stuck — the pursue/withdraw dynamic, the criticism, the silence, the same fight wearing different clothes.

I offer couples counselling in Richmond upon Thames for partners of all backgrounds and relationship stages. A free 15-minute call is available if you'd like to talk before booking a first session.

Couples I work with often arrive with

Recurring arguments that never quite resolve
Loss of closeness, affection or intimacy
The aftermath of an affair or breach of trust
Differences over parenting, money or family
Major transitions — moving in, marriage, parenthood, retirement
A sense that something is wrong, without quite knowing what
Feeling more like housemates than partners
One or both considering ending the relationship

How couples work unfolds

Sessions are 60 minutes, usually weekly, in a quiet consulting room or by secure video. The first two or three meetings are about understanding what's happening between you — what triggers conflict, what each of you longs for, and what gets in the way.

From there we work on the patterns — the moves and counter-moves — that keep you stuck, and on rebuilding the kind of conversation that lets real repair happen. Progress isn't always linear, but many couples notice small shifts within the first few weeks.

An integrative, non-blaming approach

I draw on emotionally focused and systemic ideas. Emotionally focused work looks at the attachment needs underneath arguments; systemic work looks at how you function as a pair — roles, rules, family influences.

The aim isn't to decide who's right but to slow things down enough that both of you can be honest, and both can be heard. Couples often discover they're fighting about the surface issue while missing what the other is really asking for.

Trust, intimacy and communication

Trust can be damaged slowly or in a single moment. Rebuilding it takes consistent small actions, honest conversation, and patience. Counselling gives you a container for that work when talking at home escalates too quickly.

Intimacy isn't only physical — it's also feeling known, safe and chosen. We explore what's blocking closeness for you, whether that's resentment, stress, shame or simply not making time for each other.

If you're not sure whether to stay

Couples counselling is also a space to think clearly about the relationship itself — what's working, what isn't, and what kind of future feels possible. You don't have to know the answer before you begin.

Some couples leave with a renewed commitment; others use the process to separate with more care. Either outcome can be handled with dignity in the room.

Arrange a free introductory call

It's common for one partner to be more keen than the other. A short call with me can help you both understand what to expect before the first session. There's no obligation.

Get in touch via the contact page or email counsellingrichmond26@gmail.com. Evening appointments are sometimes available — please ask.

Common questions

Do both partners need to attend every session?: Yes — couples work happens with both of you in the room. Occasional individual sessions can be arranged if useful, with the agreement of both partners, but the focus remains on the relationship between you.
How long does couples counselling usually take?: Most couples find meaningful change within 8–20 weekly sessions, though shorter focused work and longer-term support are both possible. We'll review progress together so you know where you stand.
Do you work with unmarried or LGBTQ+ couples?: Yes. This work is open to couples of any configuration, orientation, or relationship structure. What matters is that you want to work on the relationship together.
What if only one of us wants to come?: Couples counselling works best when both partners are willing, even if you're not sure it'll help. If your partner isn't ready, individual relationship counselling may be a better starting point — I'm happy to discuss options on a call.

Arrange a free 15-minute call

A no-pressure conversation to see whether we're a good fit before booking.

Get in touch