Specialist Couples Therapy
A specialist in relationships and dedicated to couples work.
Structured, active couples therapy and coaching for partners who want to create real, lasting change.
Get in TouchFeeling Stuck in the Same Cycles?
Relationships can become stuck in cycles of conflict, distance or misunderstanding.
You may find yourselves having the same arguments repeatedly, struggling to communicate, or feeling more like housemates than partners. Trust may have been damaged, or one of you may be questioning whether the relationship can continue.
Couples therapy - sometimes called couples counselling or marriage counselling - offers an opportunity to slow these patterns down, understand what is happening beneath them and develop healthier ways of relating.
About Amanda
I am a qualified psychotherapist specialising in couples therapy, with practices in Hove and Saffron Walden.
Before training as a psychotherapist, I spent many years working in senior Human Resources, coaching and leadership roles, supporting individuals, teams and organisations through communication challenges, conflict and complex interpersonal situations. Those experiences sparked a lasting interest in how relationships influence our emotional wellbeing and the ways we connect with those closest to us.
This interest led me to retrain as a psychotherapist and to focus my work on helping couples understand the relational patterns that can leave them feeling disconnected, frustrated or hopeless.
Core Clinical Qualifications and Training
- MA Counselling and Psychotherapy, Regents University
- Registered Member, British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
- BSc Psychology, First Class Honours, University of Sussex
- Intensive Foundation Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy, Regents University
Specialist Couples Therapy Training
- Relational Life Therapy Couples Certification level 1, RLT institute
- Relational Life Therapy Couples Therapy Intensive, RLT institute
- PgCIP in Integrative Psychotherapy, Regents University
Additional Professional Development
- Post Grad Dip in Professional Development & HR, leading to Chartered Institute Of Personnel and Development (CIPD) qualification, University of North London
- ILM Level 7 Diploma in Leadership Mentoring and Executive Coaching, Institute of Leadership and Management
- NLP Master Practitioner, salad Ltd.
- Psychometric tools; Myers- Briggs type indicator (MBTI), Insights behavioural preferences, EQ-I (emotional intelligence), Hogen personality inventory
My Style
I am currently undertaking specialist training in Relational Life Therapy (RLT), developed by Terry Real. This approach combines deep psychological understanding with practical, active interventions that help couples recognise and change the patterns that keep them stuck.
My style is warm, collaborative and direct. I believe therapy should be a place where both partners feel heard and understood, while also being gently challenged to take responsibility for the part they each play in the relationship. My role is not to decide who is right or wrong, but to help you build a relationship that feels more connected, respectful and resilient.
My Approach
Every relationship develops patterns. Over time these patterns can become so familiar that couples find themselves repeating the same conversations, arguments and disappointments without understanding why.
In our work together we will identify these patterns, explore what lies beneath them and develop practical ways of responding differently.
Sessions are active and engaged. Rather than simply talking about problems, we work together to understand what is happening between you in real time and develop the skills needed to create lasting change outside the therapy room.
My work is informed by Relational Life Therapy (world renowned couples therapist Terry Real) alongside contemporary psychotherapeutic understanding of attachment, communication and emotional regulation.
Couples I Work With
Couples often come to see me when:
- The same arguments happen repeatedly and never feel resolved.
- Communication has broken down.
- One partner pursues while the other withdraws.
- Trust has been damaged.
- Life transitions, parenting or work pressures are placing strain on the relationship.
- Emotional or physical intimacy has diminished.
- You are wondering whether the relationship can be repaired.
- You love one another but no longer know how to reach each other.
You do not need to be in crisis to benefit from couples counselling. Many couples seek support because they want to strengthen their relationship before difficulties become more entrenched.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will you take sides?
My commitment is to the relationship and to helping each partner understand their own experience and how what they are doing is contributing to the problems they’re experiencing. My aim is to create a balanced, thoughtful and constructive therapeutic space. In my experience both partners will have behaviours they’ll need to change but it will also often be the case that one partner has more to change than the other. I won’t shy away from this.
What happens in the first session?
The first session is an opportunity to understand what has brought you to therapy, what you hope will change and how we might work together. We will begin identifying the patterns affecting your relationship and discuss the goals you would like to work towards.
How long are sessions?
Couples sessions are 60 minutes to allow sufficient time to explore issues without feeling rushed.
How many sessions?
Typically we start with 12 sessions but this is flexible and we can discuss in the first session.
Where do sessions take place?
I see couples at consulting rooms in Hove, close to Brighton, and in Saffron Walden in Essex. I also offer online couples therapy for partners anywhere in the UK, which works well when schedules or distance make meeting in person difficult.
Fees
I offer face-to-face couples therapy from consulting rooms in Hove and in Saffron Walden, as well as online sessions for couples across the UK. If you would like to arrange an initial appointment or have any questions about how I work, I would be delighted to hear from you.