Infidelity in a committed relationship—can severely strain the relationship and the individuals involved. One partner’s affair can leave the other person feeling devastated, alone, betrayed, jealous, confused, and aggrieved. Sometimes, an affair ends a relationship, and other times couples are able to repair the relationship on their own or with the help of a therapist, often making the relationship stronger as a result.
View articleAccording to McCrindle research, November (spring) and March (autumn) are the most popular months to get married in Australia. Sadly about 38% of those marriages will end in divorce within 8.4 years. If we factor in the number of couples who end de facto relationships that number rises to approximately 48% of all committed live-in relationships ending each year in Australia. Additionally, approximately 70% of those households include children. It’s not a pretty picture.
Luckily we have some good news. After studying couples interactions over the past 40 years psychologist and researcher Dr John Gottman found that happy, healthy, long lasting relationships were characterised by two basic attitudes—you guessed it—kindness and generosity.
Michael Brown a Certified Gottman Therapist in the USA describes substance abuse as the “uninvited-invited guest” in an intimate relationship. He argues that at times substance abuse enters into a relationship like an uninvited guest. Other times, it is invited in by one, and unwanted by the other. Or in a third scenario, it is invited in by both partners. However, whenever it enters, it is like an unwanted guest that stays too long and interferes in the relationship. So just how does this “unwanted guest” impact relationships? Viewing it through the Sound Relationship House helps us to better conceptualise the issues.
View articleWe are social animals and have a deep and underlying desire to find that one perfect person, our ‘soul mate’, to spend the rest of our days with in perfect happiness and harmony. But what do we really know about the perfect mate or the ideal partner? Psychology has shed some light on this mystery in an effort to understand what truly makes two people compatible for a lifetime.
View articleRose Park Psychology is a private practice in an inner city suburb of Adelaide and are seeking an experience relationship counsellor.
View articleTrish and John have just returned from presenting our first Gottman base workshops in Western Australia!
Over the weekend of 9 and 10 July, 5 brave couples arrived at the Novotel Langley in Perth to spend 2 days focussed on improving their relationships at the Art and Science of Love Couples Workshop. Over the two days Trish and John led them through a range of information and activities designed to help them build closer more connected and intimate relationships, better manage conflict and create shared goals and meaning in their relationships.
Trish Purnell-Webb is a clinical psychologist in private practice. Trish was the first therapist in Australia to become a Certified Gottman Therapist. She is also the only person in Australia to hold the title of Master Trainer and Consultant with the Gottman Institute and is only 1 of 22 in the world. What does all this mean? Recently Trish was interviewed by a psychology placement student from Bond University asking her about this.
View articleJillian (not her real name) and her husband attended a Couples’ Workshop in Melbourne during 2015.
I had read some material on the internet about John Gottman and his research and I thought it made a lot of sense so when I saw that this workshop was being offered in Melbourne I convinced my husband to come with me. We had been married for 16 years and it had mostly been good, but in recent years, the stresses of raising kids and financial pressures have led us into some not so nice arguments and we were both feeling hurt and at a loss.
A summary of new information provided by Dr John Gottman at the Wellington, NZ Level 1 training, April 2016
View articleOur friends and colleagues at The Relationship Room in Sydney are currently recruiting for a new role based in Sydney.
Click the link below for more information about the role and company.