Relationship Therapy for Couples and Partners

Relationship therapy can help couples and intimate partners understand patterns that have created emotional or sexual distance, conflict or a loss of trust. My work is particularly informed by sexuality, trauma, attachment and psychological complexity, including situations in which sexual behaviour, shame or secrecy has become central to the relationship.

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Common reasons for seeking relationship therapy include:

• Sexual or emotional disconnection

• Affairs, betrayal and the discovery of infidelity

• Disclosure or discovery of sexual behaviour

• Problematic pornography use affecting the relationship

• Differences in sexual desire

• Shame, secrecy and loss of trust

• Trauma and recurring attachment patterns

• Separation, reconciliation or a major relationship transition

 

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Understanding both partners’ experiences

The work considers each person’s experience and the relationship between you, rather than automatically treating one partner as the problem. This does not mean minimising betrayal, harmful behaviour or differences in responsibility. It creates space to understand impact, accountability, individual needs and the relational patterns that may need to change.

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Affairs, infidelity and betrayal

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The discovery of an affair or concealed sexual behaviour can unsettle trust, intimacy and the way you understand your relationship. You may be dealing with repeated infidelity, secret pornography use, sexual messaging or information that continues to emerge. You do not need to have decided whether to stay together before seeking help.

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My work brings together relationship therapy, psychosexual expertise, experience with compulsive sexual behaviour and a trauma-informed understanding of distress. Therapy can help you consider the impact of what has happened, clarify boundaries, address responsibility and explore what rebuilding trust would require. Where separation is the right decision, the work can support greater clarity and care through that process.

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Sexual confidence, desire and intimacy may also be affected. These concerns can be explored without treating a return to sex as proof of forgiveness or recovery.

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Support may involve relationship therapy, individual support for an affected partner, or separate specialist treatment for the person whose behaviour has caused concern. The appropriate starting point is considered through assessment, with clear boundaries between individual and joint work. Separate individual therapy alongside ongoing couple work would normally be provided by another therapist.

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Supporting Partners Following Sexual Betrayal

Disclosure and Discovery of Sexual Behaviour Within a Relationship

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The initial consultation and confidentiality

The initial consultation usually involves both partners. It provides an opportunity to understand what has brought you to therapy, hear each person’s perspective and agree shared goals for the work.

 

Relationship therapy is treated as a joint process. I do not agree to hold ongoing information that materially affects the relationship or the therapy in confidence from the other partner. If significant information is disclosed individually, we will discuss how it can be brought safely and responsibly into the joint work. The usual legal, ethical and safeguarding limits to confidentiality also apply.

 

In some circumstances, separate individual therapy may be recommended. To protect the boundaries and fairness of the couple work, this would normally be provided by another therapist rather than combined with the ongoing relationship therapy.

 

My approach draws on a range of models, including object relations, emotionally focused therapy (EFT), transactional analysis, and CBT relationship therapy, allowing for both depth-oriented exploration and more structured approaches to relational change.

 

I am a UKCP-registered psychotherapist and COSRT-accredited psychosexual and relationship psychotherapist and clinical sexologist, with senior clinical and service-leadership experience working with complex relationship, sexual and psychological presentations.

 

Practical information

Relationship therapy is available in Central London and online. Sessions normally last 60 minutes and cost £160. The initial consultation provides an opportunity to discuss what is happening, consider what each of you hopes to change and decide whether relationship therapy is appropriate.

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Related specialist services

Clinical Sexology for sexual function, desire, pain, confidence and intimacy concerns

Compulsive Sexual Behaviour (also sometimes known as Sex Addiction) for sexual behaviour or pornography use that feels repetitive, difficult to control or harmful

Psychotherapy for individual work involving trauma, emotional distress, shame and wider psychological patterns