Blog
When Communication Becomes Begging: Are You Talking to Be Heard or Pleading to Be Chosen?
Sometimes, the more we try to get someone’s attention, the further away they seem to move. We send another message. We explain ourselves again. We ask if everything is okay. We try to find the right words to make someone understand how we feel. We check whether they have read our message, wonder why they…
Read MoreUsing Ourselves as Counsellors: Helping Clients Come to Terms with Death
Death is something every one of us will experience, yet we often struggle to talk about it until it happens to someone we love. As counsellors, we can play an important role in helping clients talk about death, grief and loss in a way that feels safe, human and real. Unfortunately, if we don’t acknowledge…
Read MoreDeath Removes the Person, But It Doesn’t Eliminate the Relationship
Death removes the person from our physical world, but it doesn’t necessarily remove the relationship we have with them. When someone we love dies, there is often an expectation that, over time, that we will somehow “let go” of them. We may hear that we need to move on, find closure or accept that they…
Read MoreAre We Losing the Ability to Be Alone With Ourselves?
Being alone doesn’t mean being lonely. I can feel lonelier in a group full of people than I do when I’m by myself! We have never had more ways to connect: Notifications that remind us someone, somewhere, is always available. And yet Australia is facing a growing paradox: We can be constantly connected and still…
Read MoreWhen Money Becomes the Third Person in a Relationship
Money has always been part of relationships. But in Australia today, financial pressure is becoming something much bigger than a household budgeting issue. It can become the third person in the relationship. Australian consumer sentiment has fallen sharply in the last couple of months, due to the rising interest rates, fuel prices and concerns about…
Read MoreThe Rise of AI Love: When Technology Becomes Our Emotional Companion
We have always searched for connection. From handwritten love letters to dating apps, technology has continually changed the way we meet, communicate and form relationships. But we are now entering a very different territory: the rise of AI love. Artificial intelligence can talk to us, listen to us, remember details about us, offer reassurance and,…
Read MoreIs Desire Really Fading… or Is It Novelty?
One of the most common things I hear from long-term couples is, “The spark has gone.” They assume desire has faded and something must be wrong with the relationship, themself or their partner. But what if it’s not desire that’s fading? What if it’s novelty? In the early stages of a relationship, everything is new.…
Read MoreDivorce May Be Down… But Are Couples Really Happier?
A headline in last weekend’s Sunday Telegraph caught my attention: “Divorce down but row goes up.” At first glance, that sounds like good news. Fewer couples are divorcing. But as a counsellor, I found myself asking a different question. Are relationships actually healthier, or are people simply staying together for different reasons? There are plenty…
Read MoreWhen Two People See the Same Situation Differently – Can We Find Common Ground?
Every disagreement usually begins with two people seeing the same situation differently. The challenge isn’t proving who’s right; it’s discovering enough common ground to move forward. Disagreements are a normal part of being human. They happen in relationships, families, friendships, workplaces and even within ourselves. Yet somewhere along the way, we have often learned to…
Read MoreMaxxing: Self-Improvement or the Pursuit of Perfection?
If you’ve spent any time on social media lately, you’ve probably come across the term “maxxing.” While it may sound like just another internet buzzword, it’s quickly becoming one of the biggest self-improvement trends—particularly among teenagers and young adults.
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