Navigating counselling options can feel overwhelming, especially when deciding between individual or couples therapy. Understanding the differences can help you choose the best fit for your situation.
What Is Individual Counselling?
Individual counselling helps you work through personal challenges and behaviours that affect your relationships. This type of therapy helps you understand your triggers, patterns, and past experiences—often looking at how your family or early life may have shaped your current behaviour.
One common approach in individual counselling is EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). It’s especially helpful for people with attachment issues, like trouble trusting others, fear of being abandoned, or struggling to build healthy, secure relationships. EMDR helps you separate emotional triggers from your automatic reactions, so you can handle situations more calmly and clearly.
Ask yourself:
- Do you have trouble trusting others or get anxious about your partner’s actions?
- Do you avoid conflict or have difficulty maintaining long-term relationships?
- Are past experiences or issues with your family affecting your current relationships?
If you notice any of these patterns, individual counselling could help. It offers a safe space to explore and heal these deeper issues, giving you the tools to build stronger, healthier relationships.
Learn more about Individual Counselling here {inc individual counselling link}
What Is Couples Counselling?
Couples counselling focuses on the relationship itself. Instead of looking at just one person’s problems, it examines how both partners interact and how those interactions shape the relationship.
In your first session, the therapist will ask about your relationship’s history, what’s working, and where you’re struggling. The goal is to understand your patterns, like the “fight cycle,” where one partner may chase after conflict while the other withdraws.
Ask yourself:
- Are you and your partner stuck in a pattern of arguing about the same things without a solution?
- Do you feel disconnected or have trouble talking things through?
- Are you both ready to work together on improving the relationship?
Through ongoing sessions, couples counselling helps you both understand your triggers, communicate better, and create a safer, more trusting relationship. If you’re both committed to growing together, couples therapy can make a big difference.
Learn more about Couples Counselling here
How to Choose the Right Approach
Deciding between individual and couples counselling depends on your situation and what you want to work on. If personal challenges or attachment issues are at the heart of your struggles, individual therapy might be the best place to start. But if your main focus is working through conflict or improving your connection with your partner, couples counselling could be the better choice.
Sometimes, a combination of both is the most effective. For example, one partner might focus on personal growth in individual therapy, while both work on their relationship in couples counselling. Every relationship is different, so it’s important to choose what feels best for you.
Have specific questions?
Book a consult today! Let’s talk about your unique situation and explore the best approach to help you move forward with confidence and clarity.
