Relationships can be one of the most rewarding parts of life, and one of the most challenging. If you and your partner are finding things difficult at the moment, couples counselling can offer a space to slow down, be heard, and begin to understand what’s happening between you.
I offer couples counselling in Bude at Neetside Community Centre, with sessions available during the day. Some early evening sessions are available online.
What brings couples to counselling?
There’s no single pattern. Some couples come in the middle of a crisis, perhaps after a betrayal, a significant loss, or a relationship rupture that’s left them unsure whether to stay together. Others come when things have gradually become distant or stuck, when the same arguments keep circling back, or when they’ve simply stopped feeling connected.
Common reasons couples get in touch include:
- Communication that’s become difficult, withdrawn, or heated
- A loss of intimacy, emotional or physical
- Recovering from infidelity or broken trust
- Navigating a major life change such as a new baby, bereavement, or redundancy
- Feeling more like housemates than partners
- One or both partners wondering whether the relationship has a future
You don’t need to be in crisis to come. Some couples use counselling as a way of investing in their relationship before difficulties take hold.
How I work with couples
My approach is relational. That means I’m interested in what happens between you, not just in each of you individually. Couples develop patterns over time, ways of responding to each other that can become entrenched and hard to shift from the inside. Having a third person in the room, someone who isn’t part of the dynamic, can make those patterns more visible and open up new possibilities.
I draw on psychodynamic and person-centred approaches, alongside an understanding of how our nervous systems respond under stress. I also use creative tools, including image-based reflection and structured dialogue, to help couples find ways of communicating that move beyond the well-worn grooves of familiar arguments.
I work with couples of all backgrounds, identities, and relationship types. Whether you’re married, cohabiting, dating, or navigating something less easily defined, you’re welcome here.
Couples counselling in Bude: practical details
Sessions take place at Neetside Community Centre in Bude. I offer daytime appointments. Sessions are 90 minutes and I’d recommend committing to an initial block of weekly sessions to allow the work to develop.
If you’re based further afield or prefer to work from home, I also offer online couples counselling across the UK and Europe.
Getting started
If you’d like to find out more, I offer a free introductory phone call so you can ask questions and get a sense of whether working with me feels right. There’s no obligation to proceed.
You’re welcome to get in touch via the contact form, by email at johnwaltercounsellor@gmail.com, or by calling 07501 222779.