Couples Counselling

by a specialist Psychotherapist

Good relationships make life better

Begin now…

Getting started

Hello, I’m Nicholas Purcell a psychotherapist specialising in couples counselling. I believe good relationships make life better. Let’s achieve that for you…

Accept

Accept that relationships are hard and you have no training in how to be in a relationship. Love is not enough.

I work with couples to achieve a greater understanding of their particular relationship and its challenges.

Realise

Realise you are not alone in having relationship difficulties. Many people just like you regularly sit in my office feeling

  • lonely

  • rejected

  • hurt

  • cut off

  • abandoned

  • insecure

  • misunderstood

  • angry

  • betrayed

Get hope back

Book an appointment

Relationship counselling issues I work with regularly

  • Affairs/Infidelity

    Infidelity can be devastating but it is possible to heal, grow and develop from an affair. Following a scientifically based process you will arrive at a point where you can feel better and make an informed decision about whether to leave or rebuild your relationship.

  • Conflict issues

    No one teaches us how to fight. Conflict is inevitable between any two people who spend long enough together. We work together on working out how to fight fair, with kindness and consideration for your partner.

  • Trust issues

    Trust is fragile and easily broken. Over time reduced trust can compound and create friction and tension within a relationship. We will work together to recreate trust.

  • Intimacy issues

    Sex and intimacy in long term relationships are frequently a point of disagreement, frustration, conflict and disappointment. In a practical way intimacy can be reestablished through greater understanding, communication and planning. It sounds unsexy but it works.

  • Should I stay or go?

    There are many reasons you may be considering leaving a relationship but feeling uncertain. We can work through your feelings, understand why you are stuck and gain a new perspective that helps you decide.

  • Attachment issues

    Attachment Theory is a key way to understanding many relationship issues and gain a new understanding of the dynamics present in your relationship.

  • Jealousy

    Jealousy left unchecked has the potential to ruin a relationship. We can work together to understand and limit the effects of jealousy in your relationship.

  • Codependency

    Insecurities in two individuals can lead to the creation of a codependent relationship. We can work through and understand how this impacts you and gain a new understanding of your relationship.

  • Commitment issues

    There are many reasons why someone may be fearful of committing to another, but when that fear is too present it can remove your ability to make a decision. We can work to better understand these fears and reduce their hold over you.

  • Loneliness

    When relationships promise companionship but we still end up lonely it can be particularly painful. Understanding and taking steps to overcome loneliness in your relationship is possible.

  • Narcissism

    Almost universally considered a bad thing, narcissism has some benefits. We can understand both the pros and cons of being in a relationship with a narcissist.

  • Premarital counselling

    There’s really so much more going on in relationships than our culture (particularly Disney) tells us. Premarital counselling can be a good way to really start to understand your partner at a deeper level.

Get started now

Please note if you are experiencing domestic violence, couples counselling is not recommended, it can make things worse.

Please seek help by calling 1800 RESPECT now

What clients said

  • “I have moved from feeling like I would never recover from my husband’s affair to moments of thinking maybe we can make this work. I didn’t think even that would be possible. Nicholas has helped us a lot.”

    CB & KB

  • “Nicholas offers real, practical help. We were stuck with our former therapist and it felt like nothing was working. I was starting to feel we would not be able to make our marriage work. Nicholas approached the issues from a totally different angle which enabled us to finally understand not only why we were stuck but some of key underlying issues in the relationship. We still have more work to do but things are finally moving and I’m feeling hopeful again.”

    KT & RT

  • "Sensible and knowledgable, with a great ability to put one at ease. I felt listened to without judgement and I have started to understand why my husband and I could not resolve our problems."

    JM & BW

  • "We saw another counsellor who told me I was solely at fault for everything that wasn’t working in my marriage. I was devastated. Nicholas quickly corrected that idea and we are finally making actual progress."

    BM & SG

  • "We only saw Nicholas for one session because in that one session he help my husband say something which completely changed my understanding of my husband and our difficulty in connecting. We left his office that day and hugged each other for minutes. We have a new understanding of each other. I am so grateful."

    JK & HK

  • "I needed some help in understanding why I was feeling so anxious and uncertain about my husband. Nicholas was very kind and helped me gain a new understanding of what was underlying my concerns."

    RB

FAQ

How do we book a time to see you?

Register an account on my booking system: Booking system. Select the first ‘Couples - Initial 2 hour session’ that is available and that suits you.

How soon can we see you?

I regularly book out up to 3-4 weeks in advance however due to cancellations I will always try to see you sooner than your booked appointment.

Our issue is very urgent, can you make an exception?

If your relationship will end before your appointment date, and you absolutely cannot wait, please email me at nicholas@nicholaspurcell.com.au explaining the urgency and situation and depending on the circumstances I may be able to fit you in.

Where are you located?

My office is located at 285 Flinders Street, Adelaide 5000. Plenty of 2 hour parking is nearby.

How many sessions does it take?

This is impossible to answer, it depends on so many things. I always aim to help couples leave therapy satisfied with the outcome. Sometimes this takes just 1 session, often it takes 6-10, sometimes it can take longer, particularly with affair work.

Is this covered by Medicare or Mental Health Care plans?

Psychotherapy is not covered by Medicare or Mental Health Care plans but I would encourage you to try it as we tend to get to the heart of the matter quicker than the other professions. This will save you money.

How do we start?

Book a time here: Booking

There is a way...