Couple and Relationship Therapy

Most of us, at some point in our lives, will experience difficulties in our interpersonal relationships. Relationship therapy can help those in couple relationships work through areas of difficulty in a way which benefits them both.

For family therapy please follow this link:

Family Therapy

What is relationship counselling?

In relationship counselling, a psychotherapist will sit with you and your partner to help you to address areas of conflict or unhappiness in your relationship. It can be of help to couples who are deciding to separate, couples who are separated and concerned about their children, and those who are committed to staying together. Marriage counselling and marriage guidance are forms of relationship counselling.

How does it differ from family therapy?

While family therapy is designed to address the needs of any number of family members, relationship counselling will focus on one specific relationship and how it can be improved, regardless of whether that couple is part of a wider family or not.

How does it work?

After you make your initial enquiry, you and your partner will be invited to an assessment. If relationship counselling is right for you, you will then attend a series of sessions, which typically lasts between six and twelve weeks, but can go on for longer depending on individual need.

How much will it cost?

Costs differ between individuals. You will be given a clear idea of fees before any treatment begins.

Is relationship counselling for everyone?

For those in the LGBT+ community or whose relationship is intercultural, there may be a specific set of difficulties not experienced by those in heterosexual or same-culture relationships. Relationship counselling can be of assistance to people in all types of relationship-related distress.

Make an Enquiry

Complete our short enquiry form and one of our staff will get back to you as soon as possible

Enquire Here

Our Specialists

Dr. Robert Allan

Psychotherapist

Suzanne Hutchison

PRINCIPAL FAMILY & COUPLE SYSTEMIC PSYCHOTHERAPIST

Dr Shadi Shahnavaz

COUPLE AND FAMILY SYSTEMIC THERAPIST

Professor Janet Reibstein

CONSULTANT CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST (FAMILY & COUPLES)

Adrian Clarke

Consultant Individual and Couple Psychotherapist

Dr Reenee Singh

Consultant Family and Couple Systemic Psychotherapist

Dr. Robert Allan

Position: Psychotherapist
Categories: *Counselling and psychotherapy for adults, *Couple and relationship therapy, Family Therapists, Psychotherapists
Dr. Robert Allan is a Family and Couple/Relationship Systemic psychotherapist with over twenty years of experience working with couples/relationships, families, and individuals. Robert worked in a physical rehabilitation hospital, community agency, university counselling centre, addictions services, and private practice settings in Canada and the USA. He has over 40 peer-reviewed publications and over a dozen chapters exploring how psychotherapists learn an evidence-based approach, how to work with the impact of minority stress, and cultural adaptations of Emotionally Focused Therapy. He is also the co-PI for the first clinical trial of Emotionally Focused Individual therapy.
Robert is an ICEEFT Certified Emotionally Focused Therapy Trainer, Supervisor, and Therapist and trains psychotherapists across various countries in Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy and Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy. He specialises in working with those struggling in their relationships, dealing with major transitions or the impact of an event that leads to rethinking a relationship, health issues, individuals exploring different aspects of their identity or dealing with stress, depression, or anxiety.

    Suzanne Hutchison

    Position: PRINCIPAL FAMILY & COUPLE SYSTEMIC PSYCHOTHERAPIST
    Categories: *Counselling and psychotherapy for adults, *Couple and relationship therapy, *Family Therapy, *London Intercultural Couples Centre, *Separation and Divorce, Family Therapists, Psychotherapists

    Suzanne Hutchison is a UKCP registered Family & Couple Systemic Psychotherapist and Supervisor with 20 years of clinical experience. She works with individuals, couples and families and supports people experiencing a variety of challenges that may impact them such as: physical and/or severe mental health difficulties, life changes and transitions, loss and bereavement, abuse and trauma. Suzanne works systemically (with a focus on relationships to self and others) and collaboratively, integrating a range of approaches to suit clients/families needs.

    Suzanne has experience working in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and Adult Mental Health Services in a range of NHS services including specialist eating disorders and psychosis services. She has worked with individuals, couples and families privately at The Child and Family Practice for over 13 years.

    Suzanne has researched and published in the following areas: understanding the experience of siblings of adolescents with eating disorders, experience of  inter-faith couples and supporting families with inherited genetic conditions.

    Suzanne is fluent in English and Spanish and works in person and online.

       

      Dr Shadi Shahnavaz

      Position: COUPLE AND FAMILY SYSTEMIC THERAPIST
      Categories: *Anxiety-Depression, *Counselling and psychotherapy for adults, *Couple and relationship therapy, *EMDR, *Family Mediation, *Family Therapy, *London Intercultural Couples Centre, *Separation and Divorce, *Trauma Therapy, Directors, Family Therapists, Psychotherapists

      Dr Shadi Shahnavaz is a UKCP registered couple and family Systemic Therapist with over 25 years experience of working with adolescents, individuals, couples and families.

      Dr Shahnavaz worked in the NHS for 10 years and currently works at the Anna Freud Center where she is in the Contact and Residence Dispute Team and is also part of the teaching staff there.

      Dr Shahnavaz specializes in trauma, loss and working with multicultural families. She also has a lot of experience with working with adolescents.

      Dr Shahnavaz is trained in EMDR and trauma work.

      She is also trained in working with attachment and parenting and is a ‘Circle of Security’ facilitator.

      Dr Shahnavaz speaks French, Farsi and Swedish fluently.

        Professor Janet Reibstein

        Position: CONSULTANT CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST (FAMILY & COUPLES)
        Categories: *CBT for Adults, *Counselling and psychotherapy for adults, *Couple and relationship therapy, *Family Therapy, *London Intercultural Couples Centre, *Separation and Divorce, Psychologists

        Janet Reibstein is a psychologist , individual psychotherapist , and family therapist. She works with individuals, couples, and families, as well as relationships at work. She is Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Exeter, where she runs postgraduate training in family therapy and systemic practice for The Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. She was formerly Affiliated Lecturer inSocial and Political Sciences at the University of Cambridge where she was also Psychological Consultant to Kings College, Cambridge. She is the author of six books and numerous articles covering her research on various aspects of relationships; couples and families; divorce and separation; and the psychological and emotional effects of illness on families and couples. Professor Reibstein has also contributed documentary series for television and Radio 4.

          Reibstein, J. (in preparation): Inter Act: the evidence for relating skillfully. London and New York: Bloomsbury

          Reibstein, J. and Sherbersky, H. (in press) ‘Manualising the Exeter Model: couple therapy for depression – a behavioural-systemic approach’, in Mariotti, M., Saba, G. and Stratton, P (eds) Handbook of systemic approaches to psychotherapy manuals: integrating research, practice, and training. New York: Springer

          Reibstein, J. and Singh, R. (2020) ‘The Intercultural Exeter Couples Model: making connections for a divided world through systemic-behavioural therapy’. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley-Blackwell

          Adrian Clarke

          Position: Consultant Individual and Couple Psychotherapist
          Categories: *Anxiety-Depression, *Counselling and psychotherapy for adults, *Couple and relationship therapy, *Family Mediation, *London Intercultural Couples Centre, *Separation and Divorce, Family Mediators, Psychotherapists

          Adrian Clarke is a UKCP registered psychotherapist, an accredited family mediator and a solicitor. He is a member of the Law Society family mediation panel and has been accredited by the Family Mediation Council. He is a Resolution trained professional practice consultant, which allows him to supervise other family mediators. He is also legally qualified, having been admitted as a solicitor in 1991.

          He runs the family mediation service and he offers psychotherapy to individuals and relationship counselling for couples. He runs a separated parenting programme and he is trained to consult children about future arrangements when their parents are separating.

            Dr Reenee Singh

            Position: Consultant Family and Couple Systemic Psychotherapist
            Categories: *Counselling and psychotherapy for adults, *Couple and relationship therapy, *Family Therapy, *London Intercultural Couples Centre, *Separation and Divorce, Family Therapists, Psychotherapists

            Dr. Reenee Singh is a Consultant Family and Couple Systemic psychotherapist with over twenty years experience in working with children, families, couples and individuals. Reenee worked at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust for many years and is the Co-Director of the Tavistock Family Therapy and Systemic Research Centre. She is the Editor of the Journal of Family Therapy. Reenee has published two books and numerous papers in the areas of ‘race’, culture and qualitative research. Reenee presents her work at national and international conferences and teaches all over the world.

            Reenee specialises in working with intercultural couples and mixed race families. She is currently the co-director of the London Intercultural Couples Centre at the Child and Family Practice.

            Singh, R. and Sim, T. (2021) Families in the time of the Pandemic: Breakdown or Breakthrough? Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, https://doi.org/10.1002/anzf.1445.

            Borcsa, M., Lebow J.L., Singh, R., Larner, G. and Messent, P. (2020) Publication in Family Therapy Journals: Family Process, Journal of Family Therapy, and Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy – A Discussion with Editors. In Ochs, M., Borcsa, M. & Schweitzer, J. (Eds.). Systemic Research in Individual, Couple and Family Therapy and Counseling (EFTA Book Series, Volume 4). pp.17-430, Cham, CH: Springer International.

            Rastogi, M. and Singh, R. (2020) Preface. Systemic Family Therapy and Global Health Issues. The Handbook of Systemic Family Therapy. Volume 4. London: Wiley.

            Reibstein, J. and Singh, R. (2020) The Intercultural Exeter Couples Model. Making Connections for a Divided World through Systemic-Behavioural Therapy. Wiley: Oxford.

            Robinson, D. and Singh, R. (2020) ‘Forced Marriage as a Representation of a Belief System in the UK and its Psychological Impact on Well-being’. In Majors, R., Carberry, K. and Ransaw, T. (Eds). The International Handbook of Black Community Mental Health, pp.489-505. Emerald Publishing: UK.

            Singh, R. (2020) ‘Home is where the heart is: Aporias of love and belonging in intercultural couples’, pp.145-157 in A. Abela, S. Vell and S. Piscopo, Couple Relationships in the 21st Century, New York: Springer.

            Singh, R., Killian, K., Bhugun, D. and Tseng, C. (2020). ‘Clinical Work with Intercultural Couples’ pp.155-183 in K. Wampler and A. Blow (ed.) Handbook of Family Therapy, Volume 3. Wiley: Oxford.

            Wampler, K.S, Rastogi, M. and Singh, R. (2020) The Handbook of Systemic Family Therapy. Volume 4. Systemic Family Therapy and Global Health Issues. Wiley: Oxford.

            Singh, R. (2019) ‘Working systemically with family violence’. pp.113-124 in S. Sonpar and N. Kanwar (Eds) Surviving on the Edge. Psychosocial Perspectives on Violence and Prejudice in India. New Delhi: Sage.

            Reibstein, J. and Singh, R. (2018) The Intercultural Exeter Model. Psychotherapy Review. Special section on Couples and Families, pp. 56-71.

            Singh, R. (2017) ‘Do we need to change the way we measure change? Developments in SCORE -15’. Journal of Family Therapy 39 (1), pp. 1-3.

            Singh, R. (2017) ‘Intimate Strangers: working with interfaith couples’. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy. Special issue on Spirituality. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy. 38(1), pp.7-14.

            Singh, R. (2017) ‘Valedictory Editorial’. Journal of Family Therapy 39(4) pp.495-497.

            Singh, R. and Dada, M. (2017) ‘On the frontline: intercultural couples in a divided world’. Discover Society. May 02. https://www.palgrave.com/de/book/9783319596976

            Sim, T., Yi Yang, X., Chan, S., Loy, J.T.C, Sng, S., Lo, R., Chao, W. and Singh, R. (2017) ‘Co-constructing family therapy in the Asian Chinese family diasporas of mainland China, Malaysia, Macau, Singapore and Taiwan’. Journal of Family Therapy. Special issue. 39(2) pp.131-150

            Singh, R. (2016) ‘Couples and transgenerational relationships: cultural considerations and connundra’, Journal of Family Therapy, 38(3), pp.301-301.

            Singh, R. (2016) ‘The stories we tell: Systemic thinking in a divided world’. Editorial, Journal of Family Therapy, 38(4), pp. 405-466

            Singh, R. (2015) A journal in time. Past, present and future themes. Journal of Family Therapy, 37 (4): 407-408.

            Singh, R. (2015) Reflections on Practice. Enduring Love? Couple Relationships in the 21st Century. Clinical Implications. Feedback. Journal of the Family Therapy Association of Ireland, (pp. 70 -79).

            Singh, R. (2015) Systemic innovators, past and present. Editorial. Journal of Family Therapy 37 (3), pp. 265 -266.