Couples therapy · Gottman Method · Level 2 qualified

Couples therapy that actually fits your relationship.

Every couple is different. The Gottman Method is structured, evidence-based, and built to be tailored — not a one-size-fits-all protocol. I'm Level 2 qualified, I follow the method strictly, and the result is therapy that works for the two of you specifically.

Who I work with

Couples of all kinds, at every stage.

Conflict & communicationIntimacy & connectionPre-maritalLife transitions (new baby, blended family, retirement)Same-sex relationshipsLong-distance

Whatever the configuration of your relationship, the work is the same: a safe, neutral space to be heard, understand each other, and move toward feeling like teammates again.

The framework

What is the Gottman Method?

The Gottman Method is a structured, evidence-based approach to couples therapy developed by Drs. John and Julie Gottman, drawing on more than four decades of research into what actually differentiates relationships that thrive from those that struggle. It focuses on three core pillars:

01

Building a strong friendship

Deepening emotional connection, mutual understanding, and the small daily moments of bidding for attention that compound into closeness over time.

02

Managing conflict healthily

Practical tools for navigating disagreements constructively — softening start-ups, repair attempts, accepting influence, managing physiological flooding.

03

Creating shared meaning

Aligning on values, rituals, and life goals as a couple — the symbolic layer of relationship that makes the everyday stuff feel like part of something bigger.

Why the assessment phase matters

The most important four sessions.

Every couple is different — different strengths, different friction points, different histories shaping how you interact today. The four assessment sessions are how I get to know your relationship in enough depth to design an intervention that's individualised, not generic.

They're not a delay before the “real” therapy starts — they arethe start of the work, and they're what makes everything that follows actually targeted to the two of you. Without this foundation, couples therapy tends to drift; with it, every subsequent session is focused on what matters most for your specific relationship.

I follow the Gottman Method strictly, including this assessment phase. It's the foundation that five decades of research with thousands of couples has shown makes couples therapy effective rather than guesswork.

The payoff
By the end of Session 4, both of you and I will have a clear, individualised treatment plan. From there, every minute of therapy is focused on what we know matters most for the two of you specifically.
The process

How it works.

Two distinct phases, plus optional individual sessions where they directly support the couple's goals.

Phase 1

Assessment & treatment planning

4 sessions
  1. 1
    Joint intake interview· 90 min

    Both of you in the room. We map the story of your relationship — how you met, what's working, what's stuck, what brought you in now.

  2. •
    Online Gottman questionnaires· At home

    Both partners complete the standardised Gottman online assessment via a secure portal between Sessions 1 and 2. Included in session fees — no separate charge.

  3. 2
    Individual session — Partner A· 50 min

    One-on-one. The space to share context you may not be ready to say in the room with your partner yet — relationship history, family of origin, anything that shapes how you show up.

  4. 3
    Individual session — Partner B· 50 min

    The same space for the other partner. Confidential in the sense that I don't repeat content back to your partner without your consent — but no “secrets” that would derail couples work are kept.

  5. 4
    Joint feedback & treatment-plan session· 90 min

    Together again. I share what I've learned about your relationship — strengths, friction points, the patterns I'm seeing — and we co-design a treatment plan targeted to the two of you specifically.

If infidelity is present: the Gottman Method requires full disclosure by the involved partner during the assessment phase to ensure trust and progress in therapy. This is structured carefully and at appropriate pace.
Phase 2

Therapy

Ongoing

Ongoing sessions focused on building practical skills and working through the patterns identified in your treatment plan.

  • Frequency. Typically every two weeks, adjustable to your needs and the intensity of what we're working on.
  • Content. Communication, conflict management, intimacy, repair, shared meaning — through tailored Gottman interventions for what your relationship specifically needs.
  • Practice. No formal homework, but I encourage practising the skills between sessions — the gains compound much faster when you do.
  • Timeframe. Varies by couple. After the assessment phase, I'll give you a realistic estimate of how long the work might take given your treatment plan and goals.
Optional

Individual sessions

Where applicable

Available under specific conditions, when working on something individual directly supports the couples therapy — not as a replacement for it.

  • Aligned with relationship goals. Focus on personal growth — managing stress, ADHD, anxiety, or other patterns — that directly affects how you show up in the relationship.
  • Both partners agree. Individual sessions require mutual agreement from both of you for transparency. Couples work runs on trust, and side-channels would undermine that.
  • Confidentiality with limits. What you share is confidential unless safety concerns arise or sharing is permitted by both parties — this is discussed and agreed at the start.
  • Sometimes a referral fits better. For personal issues that need their own dedicated therapy — severe anxiety, substance use, unresolved trauma — I may recommend you also see a separate individual therapist alongside our couples work.
Investment

Session fees.

From 1 July 2025. Payment is taken at the end of each session via EFTPOS or credit card, with a tax invoice emailed to you afterwards.

Session type
Fee
90-minute couples session
Intake (Session 1) & feedback (Session 4)
$375
60-minute couples therapy session
Ongoing therapy from Phase 2 onwards
$250
60-minute individual session
Assessment-phase individuals + optional individual sessions
$250
Online Gottman questionnaires
Completed at home between Sessions 1 and 2
Included
Medicare: couples therapy is not eligible for a Medicare rebate. Clear tax invoices are provided after each session for your records. Private health insurance rebates may apply for the individual components — check with your insurer.
Getting started

Three steps to onboard.

Once you've reached out and we've agreed on a starting date, this is what happens before Session 1.

1

Halaxy intake form

I'll send a link to a short online intake form. I'll need both partners' full names and dates of birth to set this up. Takes about 10 minutes per partner.

2

Services Agreement via SignNow

A short services agreement — covering confidentiality, cancellation policy, and the structure of the work — gets sent to both partners' emails for digital signature.

3

Gottman online questionnaires

Sent after your first session. Each partner completes them independently via a secure portal between Sessions 1 and 2 — they're a core part of what I use to formulate your treatment plan.

Common questions

Couples therapy, specifically.

How long will the whole process take?▾
The four assessment sessions typically span 4-6 weeks (back-to-back works well, but life gets in the way). After that, ongoing therapy is usually fortnightly. How long Phase 2 takes depends entirely on the treatment plan we co-design at Session 4 — some couples are well-served by 8-12 sessions, others come for longer-term work. I'll give you a realistic estimate after assessment.
We've done couples therapy before — do we really need the assessment phase?▾
Yes. Even if you've done couples work elsewhere, the Gottman assessment is built around the specific framework I'll be using with you, and the questionnaires generate data I rely on for treatment planning. The assessment isn't 'getting to know you' in a general sense — it's calibrating the Gottman interventions to your relationship. Without it, I'd be guessing.
What if my partner doesn't want to come?▾
Couples therapy needs both partners present and willing — it's not work I can do effectively with one person in the room. If your partner is hesitant, you're welcome to book an individual session with me first to talk through what's going on. Sometimes that helps clarify what to ask your partner for. If individual counselling turns out to be the better fit, I can transition you to that pathway.
Can we do this entirely via telehealth?▾
Yes — couples therapy via secure telehealth works well, and is fully equivalent for most couples. The exception is if one of you is uncomfortable having difficult conversations on screen, in which case in-person sessions at the Berwick clinic may suit better. Some couples do a mix.
What if there's been infidelity?▾
The Gottman Method has a specific protocol for affair recovery, including required full disclosure by the involved partner during the assessment phase. This is done carefully and at the right pace. I'm trained in this work — couples can absolutely come back from infidelity, and many do. The process is harder if disclosure is partial; full disclosure is part of what makes the work effective.
Is couples therapy Medicare-rebatable?▾
No — Medicare doesn't cover couples work in Australia. Some private health funds offer partial rebates for the individual components of the assessment phase (Sessions 2 and 3), and a few cover individual counselling more broadly. Check with your insurer directly — psychology item codes vary between funds, so there's no universal code to quote.
What if there's other stuff going on too — anxiety, ADHD, neurodivergence?▾
Very common, and it doesn't preclude couples work. In fact, the assessment phase often surfaces individual patterns (ADHD, anxiety, neurodivergent communication styles) that are contributing to relationship friction. Sometimes the right plan is couples work plus a referral to an individual therapist; sometimes I can hold both with one of you alongside the couples work. We figure that out together at Session 4.
See general practice FAQs
Let's begin

Ready when you both are.

Reach out via the contact form and I'll get back to you with the next steps. We can also chat on the phone first if you'd like to ask a few questions before committing to the assessment phase.

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