Building stronger relationships..

Hi, I'm Richard.
I'm a relationship counsellor with over fifteen years of experience working on the Gold Coast Hinterland and the Scenic Rim. I hold a Master of Counselling degree from the University of Queensland and I am a Level 4 (highest) member of the Australian Counselling Association.
One of the earliest signs of a relationship in trouble is the constant presence of a heightened level of conflict. Some conflict is an inevitable part of any relationship but when that conflict is constant, causing those involved to become more and more unhappy, it's time to seek help.
The purpose of counselling is to help you repair, restore and rebuild your 'relationship house' into being one where the inhabitants feel safe, the relationship itself is secure and the future is more predictable.
Don't wait for a crisis to occur - call me to make an appointment or simply complete and submit the form below. I will respond within 24 hours.
It's important to note that traditional interventions used for relationship counselling are not equiped to deal with severe mental health issues, domestic family violence or drug and alcohol abuse. Where these conditions exist clients should seek out services specialising in these areas.
For more information, see "What can we expect from counselling?" Disclaimer: Please note, Gold Coast and Hinterland Counselling claims no responsibility for organisations seeking to promote their business using my practice name. Please confer with myself if in doubt.
Every situation is different and the number of sessions required will vary from couple to couple. On average 4-10 sessions are sufficient to meet the needs of most couples.
.
Drawing on a wide range of modalities but primarily on the Gottman Method and Emotion Focused Therapy, I help couples to learn to replace negative conflict patterns with positive ways of interacting with each other and to repair from past hurts. Interventions designed to increase closeness and intimacy are used to strengthen bonds and bring about whatever changes are necessary for couples to reach their shared goals for counselling.
The modalities and interventions that I use have all been demonstrated to provide a very high success rate except where substance abuse, serious mental health issues, coercive control/domestic violence and/or a low level of commitment are present. If any of these issues are impacting your relationship please seek alternative sources for therapy.
Issues frequently addressed in therapy include :-
- Conflict and Communication
- "Stuckness" with nothing ever getting resolved
- Seeking comfort and support outside of the relationship
- Feeling disrespected and unappreciated
- Sexual intimacy
- Emotional distancing and loneliness
- Infidelity, betrayal and trust
- Anxiety and depression
- Anger management
- Grief and loss
- "Richard has a wonderful way of getting to the heart of even the most difficult issues with compassion, understanding and patience. I highly recommend his services as both a couple and individual therapist." (Dan B. Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast)
- "My husband & I had many marriage counselling sessions with Richard and I cannot say enough about how thankful we were to have found him." (Rhonda M. Gold Coast)
- "Following devastating discoveries concerning my husbands infidelity and financial betrayal my doctor suggested I seek counselling and I was referred to Richard. Thanks to Richard I'm able to enjoy life again." (Judy J, Brisbane)
- "I went to see Richard not knowing what to do with my relationship as well as the personal issues that I was having difficulty in dealing with. ... I don’t know how I would be coping the way I am today with out the benefit of his help .. " ( Chris, F; Gold Coast
- "Our time spent with Richard has been invaluable. Richard is professional and experienced, with a wealth of knowledge for relationship counselling. No issue is too big or too small!" (Kellie, Scenic Rim)
- "We both would recommend Richard to anyone needing support with their relationship issues! We’ve come through a lot and feel incredibly blessed to have had him help us through it all. Even if you’re not in as bad a place as we were, it’s such a great thing to do to strengthen your relationship!"(Candice, Mt Tamborine)
- "My partner and I had hit a roadblock in our relationship and knew we needed someone to help us. Someone who was a great listener, gave good advice and direction, was supportive to both parties, was caring and valued what we said. Richard was all this and more." (Mel Gold Coast)
- Richard was wonderful to talk to and really helped us understand each other! Which I'm sure will save us! Sam R
- My partner and I have been attending couples therapy, it has been a outstanding sucess. Richard is very professional and compassionate at helping working through issues and find ways positve outcomes. David B
- My partner and I have been going here for a while now, have found Richard's program very Good,allot of helpful information and advice!
Have definitely found it useful for our relationship.
Very Good for relationship and pre- marital counseling. Matthew S - Dear Richard,
Thank you for having us in your sessions, we learned a lot about ourselves and us as a couple. I am sorry I havent done this earlier (review) but I am so glad we came to you.
We have yet much to learn and we have learned, that relationships can change over time and it is in our hands, to make sure which direction we want this to head. Often we forget, where it all begun and much too often, we get carried away by everyday life and we forget to attend the most important.
I know we will be back for your sessions in close future, so we can continue the journey and learn and discover more about our relationship.
I hope you are well and wish you all the best for you and your family.
Geiu and Rowan - Richard is really great to talk to, we felt so comfortable and my husband and I really look forward to seeing more of him. We’re excited for our future. BW
- Richard is the best counsellor I have ever seen. He genuinely cares about his patients, and helps in more ways then I could ever thank him for! I am lucky to have found him for couples counselling, I feel like he isn't just my counsellor, but also a knowledgeable helping friend. I would not look past Richard as your couples counsellor for your relationship, because there is no one else that is better at this job then him! Melanie B
- Richard has been fantastic on teaching us effective communication skills. He is very passionate about his job and does not rush you out the door.
He is really easy to talk to. Would definitely recommend Richard. Sissy B - Richard is a wonderful life mentor who has resourceful knowledge to help us to understand ourselves more. He is objective, understanding and fair. I feel very comfortable to open myself up in front of Richard. He has provided us many useful strategies and methods to utilise in resolving different issues. I truly feel I have learnt a lot from seeing Richard 😊👍. I Lin
- What a wonderful human Richard is. He is a master of his tools. Richard is compassionate and understanding yet he is also able to assert clarity. My husband adores him and appreciates the positive outcomes we have been able to achieve in a very short period of time. I am so incredibly excited about the future with my husband as I know this marriage will now last forever. I have knowledge and experience in this area - this makes it difficult to find a therapist to work with both myself and my husband with no experience or knowledge.
Don’t hesitate to call Richard and invest in your future happiness.
Thank you Richard - you are just a treasure x
J and S - My partner and I were at a crossroads, we were on the verge of separation. We met with Richard, and he honestly changed our lives. He met with us together and individually. He provided us with real life tools for practical everyday use to help better and strengthen not only our relationship but also us as individuals. I will always be so grateful for finding Richard and for reaching out to him. He helped me so very much, he is compassionate, warm and understanding and made us feel at ease no matter the subject. My partner and I are now engaged to be married. We never would have gotten to such a place without Richard's advice and wisdom. Thank you Richard. You will always hold a special place in our hearts. Melanie and Shaun.
- Richard is not only a great counsellor and psychologist, he is a great man. He imparts real and useful wisdom, and equiped us with some simple tools that made our lives better and relationship more loving. Very thankful to have met Richard, and I will continue to refer my friends and family. Everyone could benefit from some time with Richard. Peter H
Reviews help us grow and improve. If you would like to leave a review for us click here and you will be taken to go a page to leave your review.
Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback.