Family, Couple and Group Counselling Support

This is available for all types of relationship, group and family unit. We are experienced in helping straight, gay , lesbian and bisexual relationships as well as conventional and unusual family arrangements.

There are a myriad of reasons why a family, group or relationship may be experiencing difficulties. It can be caused by problems with the relationship itself, that is to say communication and relations between two or more people. It can be caused by issues suffers by one or more members of the group that have an impact on the rest. It can be caused by outside stimuli impinging on the well-being of the group. it can even be caused by members of the group growing in different directions or at different speeds.

Sometimes with group /  couple support the inevitable outcome is separation. When this occurs then support from a counsellor can ensure the most friendly and amicable split possible. In other cases a separation can be avoided by improving communication, or by resolving more specific issues.

Communication is usually the most important factor in any of these scenarios and is vital whether a peaceful separation or a happy group future is to be achieved.

A safe counselling environment enables all parties to communicate without fear of point scoring or domination. Everyone gets their turn, everyone has a chance to speak out equally. And the counsellor or facilitator can reflect the comments back in a precise and non-emotionally charged way for all parties to contemplate. this often has the effect of throwing a different light on things.

Because the counsellor is there to ensure communication and enforce certain basic rules of behaviour in the clinic, there is no bias and the counsellor's position is absolutely 3rd party.

 What is group training / therapy/ counselling?

Where individual sessions are also carried out, these carry the confidentiality rule that no disclosure is made between parties without the counsellor being instructed to do so by the source of the information. Often individual sessions with the different parties is very useful in preparation for group or couple sessions. These preparatory sessions build confidence in the client- therapist relationship, create familiarity in the clinic environment rules, and allow the counsellor to identify common ground to examine as a starting point. Such sessions also enable emotions to be expressed and discharged in advance, assisting the counsellor in avoiding conflict once the joint sessions commence.

Where possible topics are addressed very honestly in group sessions, but sessions are always left on common ground so that parties go away with a sense of achievement and commonality, even if much of the session was addressing difficult topics.

As a course of therapy begins and continues, more information will come to the front, and therefore the planned process will have to be flexible and (with all the groups permission) be adapted to meet the new information and identified issues.

As in all topics addressed, underlying causes are targeted in order to prevent only temporary relief from occurring. The objective is to address the current issues, and leave all parties capable of better resolving future issues without outside support where possible.

Professor Morgan-Ayres combines a number of methods of therapy depending on the case. Counselling and Psychotherapy provide a base with other methods (listed on the main therapy page) such as hypnotherapy, NLP, lifestyle training, life coaching and faith counselling providing additional modalities and methods that can be employed. Underlying issues are addressed and quick fixes are not offered. Remedial short term interventions are offered with the option of following on with comprehensive therapy afterwards if required.

The award winning "Stress Pack" is used as a training tool with group clients. It is a personal analysis and development tool that helps clients to maintain progress between sessions and discover valuable information about themselves for their own reference and for discussion in sessions.