One of the questions I frequently get asked by couples that are about to get married is does pre-marriage counselling really work? Getting married can be a wonderful experience, and it can also be a very stressful event for those involved. Sometimes this stress raises family issues and couple issues that need to be addressed as soon as … [Read more...] about Pre-Marriage Counselling: Does it Really Work?
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Making Couples Happy: An Interview with Clinical Psychologist and Author John Aiken
I had the pleasure of speaking with my colleague John Aiken, who is a Sydney clinical psychologist. John was recently the co-host of a hit ABC TV reality show called Making Couples Happy. He is also the co-author of the book Making Couples Happy:Â How science can help get relationships back on track. I go behind the scenes of the TV show and … [Read more...] about Making Couples Happy: An Interview with Clinical Psychologist and Author John Aiken
Do You Make These 7 Online Communication Mistakes?
It seems that we're more and more connected to each other online these days with online relationships starting to become even more important than face-to-face relationships. Some new research supports this by saying that young Generation X adults are as likely to connect online with friends, family and co-workers as they are in person. The … [Read more...] about Do You Make These 7 Online Communication Mistakes?
What’s the Secret to Desire in Long-Term Relationships?
One of the most common issues I hear from the couples I work with in long-term relationships, is loss of passion or sexual desire. Esther Perel, author of the book Mating in Captivity is a world-renowed expert on issues of sexuality and sexual desire in couples. Here's a great video of her summarising her ideas about what kills sexual desire … [Read more...] about What’s the Secret to Desire in Long-Term Relationships?
Couple Conflict: How to Resolve Recurring Arguments and Create Win-Win Outcomes
This is one of my favourite relationship quotes. If you can't see the image above, it says, "You Can be RIGHT or you can be in RELATIONSHIP". I'm not sure who said it or where it comes from, but I like it because it really captures the dilemma that many couples find themselves in. And this doesn't just apply to couple communication. It's also … [Read more...] about Couple Conflict: How to Resolve Recurring Arguments and Create Win-Win Outcomes
Couple Communication: The Value of a Gottman Soft Start-up
Some of my most popular posts are on communication. Why is that? I think it's because we know that communication is one of those things that all of us can seek to improve. Communication is also something that, when changed, can have immediate and positive benefits on your relationship. The Gottmans are famous for their world-renowned research … [Read more...] about Couple Communication: The Value of a Gottman Soft Start-up
25 New Year Healthy Relationship Resolutions
You're probably aware that the majority of New Year's resolutions that people make fail within a couple of months. Healthy relationship resolutions are no exception. There's a whole raft of reasons for this, which include problems with commitment, lack of planning, low personal motivation, lack of accountability, self-sabotaging beliefs and … [Read more...] about 25 New Year Healthy Relationship Resolutions
Communication Basics: 7 Simple Tips to Improve Your Relationship
There are so many books and articles written about how to communicate effectively, that it can often be overwhelming to know what to believe or even what works. I've distilled down some of the most important factors couples need to focus on to improve their communication and relationship. My ideas are based on my observations of working with … [Read more...] about Communication Basics: 7 Simple Tips to Improve Your Relationship
Long-distance Relationships: Can They Work?
A long-distance relationship can be a challenge for even the strongest love relationship. Many clients ask me what can be done to make them work? There may be no simple answer, but there are things that can help or hinder love that is hampered by the tyranny of distance. With the influence of technology on relationships by … [Read more...] about Long-distance Relationships: Can They Work?
Couple Money Problems: Binding Financial Agreements [Video]
One of the main issues that all couples struggle with is related to money. Money issues are particularly challenging when couples have differing levels of income and asset pools when they enter into a relationship. I recently spoke with Sydney solicitor Bhavesh Mistry about binding financial agreements and how they can help couples … [Read more...] about Couple Money Problems: Binding Financial Agreements [Video]