Couples’ Therapy with Grace Britton
Couples therapy no longer has the stigma it had even 5 years ago. Couples are now starting to appreciate what research has shown for decades – that prevention is 3x more effective than intervention.
Even so, couples wait an average of 2.5 years before seeking help with their relationship difficulties. Chiropractic Plus Psychologist Grace Britton is an experienced couples therapist trained in the renowned Gottman Method Couples Therapy. Do you think you might benefit from couples therapy now or in the future? Read on to understand more about booking a Relationship Health Assessment with Grace at Chiropractic Plus Warners Bay and how it can help you and your partner identify areas to heal, grow, and move forward.
How Does Couples Therapy Work?
An assessment phase is first. The Gottman Institute research evidence supports a thorough assessment phase before therapy begins, and in practice we find this phase is beneficial for couples to look at all aspects of their relationship to understand the strengths and challenges.
Meet Grace
Grace Britton comes to Chiropractic Plus with nearly 8 years of experience. Prior to her career as a Psychologist, Grace was a full time serving member of the Australian Army. Her lived experience of service has led her to work extensively with current serving and veteran military clients.
She has particular interests in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder presentations, couples therapy, and the treatment of men’s mental health. Grace has experience working with clients to achieve positive outcomes in the following presenting issues:
- Anxiety disorders
- Mood Disorders
- Couples therapy
- Post Natal presentations
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
- Adjustment Disorders
- Self-esteem and self-confidence issues
- Work related stress and burnout
- Sleep disorders and related issues
- Anger and conflict management
- Identity issues and identity exploration
- Assertiveness training
- Stress reduction and general wellbeing concerns
- Emotional regulation difficulties
- Behavioural and habit change
Please note Grace’s areas of focus do not currently include eating disorders, children and family counselling, substance use disorders, and neurodevelopmental disorders such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder assessment or treatment.
Education
Bachelor of Psychology, First Class Honours – James Cook University
Relationship Health Assessment
When Grace starts working with a new couple, she will begin with a thorough Relationship Health Assessment over 4 sessions to understand your unique situation and relationship goals.
- Prior to the first session, you and your partner will be both complete the Gottman Connect Relationship Questionnaire. This is an online assessment that takes around 90 minutes, the results of which will be sent to Grace for review.
- You and your partner will attend a 75-minute joint consultation with Grace. The purpose of this session is to obtain the history of your relationship, and how your challenges and triumphs have developed over time.
- You and your partner both attend an individual 75-minute session with Grace. The purpose of this session is to better understand your personal histories. Please note this is the only time that individual sessions are conducted in couples’ therapy.
- You and your partner attend a 75-minute joint feedback session with Grace. In this session, Grace will provide you with feedback as to the assessment conducted. This will include discussion of the current difficulties within your relationship and provision evidence-based strategies and tools for addressing these. If this is to include ongoing couples therapy, a collaborative treatment plan can be discussed during this session.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions about your next visit? We have you covered!
-
What will we get from assessment?
Following the joint feedback session, you and your partner will have a clearer understanding of the source of your challenges, and how these problems continue to perpetuate over time. You are likely to feel an improved sense of direction within your relationship, both in building stronger foundations, and repairing past difficulties. Finally, based on the Gottman model of sound relationships, you will also receive beginning strategies and tools to implement at home to assist in improving your communication and connection overall.
-
What does assessment cost?
The fee for the four session assessment is $1500
-
What is Gottman Method Couples Therapy?
Should you engage in ongoing couples therapy with Grace, you will learn the Gottman interventions. The Gottman interventions are designed to assist couples develop skills to repair, rebuild and rejuvenate their relationship.
Key elements of the therapeutic process include repairing past hurts and replacing negative conflict patterns with positive interactions; building closeness and intimacy to deepen friendship and emotional connections; and developing new ways to support the relationship and each partner’s hopes and dreams.
In the later stages of therapy, you will meet with Grace less frequently whilst you test out your new relationship skills with each other / at home.
After therapy, you might find you both like to attend occasional check-in sessions to fine-tune certain skills or to receive support with a big change or development.During your couples therapy sessions with Grace, you can expect to:
- Refresh and deepen your friendship with your partner.
- Improve your communication skills.
- Process a betrayal.
- Repair past incidents and misunderstandings
- Better understand each other’s fears, hopes and dreams.
- Refine your shared values and purpose.
- Revive your intimacy.
-
How do we begin?
If you would like to undergo the assessment process, you can phone the clinic to register your interest. From here, you will be able to book your four assessment sessions. Following this, you and your partner will be emailed the link to complete the Gottman Connect Relationship Questionnaire. Please note that the questionnaires must be completed at least two week days prior to your initial assessment.
