Couples Therapy in Wollongong: What to Expect in Your First Session
If you’re considering couples therapy in Wollongong, it’s completely normal to feel unsure about what the first session will be like. Many couples worry they’ll be judged, put on the spot, or asked to dive straight into conflict.
In reality, the first session is designed to help you feel comfortable, understood and supported while I begin to learn about your relationship in a structured, gentle way. At Beyond Birth Therapy, I use a Gottman-informed approach to couples therapy, which begins with a thoughtful assessment phase so we can build therapy around what your relationship actually needs.
The Goal of the First Couples Therapy Session
The first session isn’t about “fixing everything” straight away.
Instead, the focus is on:
Creating a safe, respectful space for both partners
Understanding what brings you to therapy now
Learning about your relationship history and strengths
Beginning to notice patterns in communication and conflict
This foundation helps ensure therapy is targeted, collaborative and effective rather than generic.
How the First Session Usually Flows
While every couple is different, most first sessions follow a gentle structure.
1. A Warm Welcome
We begin by settling in and helping everyone feel comfortable. Starting therapy can feel vulnerable, so this first part is simply about building a sense of safety and connection.
2. Understanding How Therapy Works
I’ll briefly explain how couples therapy works in this practice, including:
Confidentiality and its limits
What the assessment phase involves
What future sessions may look like
How we set goals together
This helps you know what to expect and ask any questions early on.
3. Your Story - What Brings You Here
You’ll both have space to share what’s led you to seek couples therapy now.
This might include:
ongoing conflict
communication breakdown
parenting stress
emotional distance
feeling stuck in recurring patterns
There’s no pressure to say everything perfectly — this part is simply about being heard.
4. Your Relationship History
We’ll gently explore how your relationship began and how it has evolved over time.
This often includes:
how you met
important transitions you’ve navigated together
what has worked well in your relationship
where things feel harder now
This helps highlight both strengths and stress points.
5. Early Patterns in Communication
Sometimes we look at how disagreements unfold in real life — not to judge, but to understand how you interact when things feel tense.
This gives valuable insight into:
how conflict escalates
where misunderstandings happen
what each partner is needing underneath
This information helps shape the therapy process moving forward.
6. Planning the Next Steps
At the end of the session, I’ll outline what comes next.
Usually this includes:
individual sessions so each partner can share more fully
brief questionnaires to better understand your relationship patterns
a later feedback session where we identify strengths, challenges and therapy goals together
This structured beginning is part of the Gottman Method assessment process, which helps therapy feel focused and purposeful rather than vague.
What Most Couples Notice After Session One
Many couples leave the first session feeling:
relieved to have started
reassured that therapy feels respectful and balanced
clearer about what’s actually happening in their relationship
hopeful that change is possible
You don’t need to have the “right words” or a perfect plan.
Starting the conversation is enough.
Couples Therapy in Wollongong
I offer Gottman-informed couples therapy in Wollongong and online, supporting couples across Fairy Meadow, Corrimal, Shellharbour and the wider Illawarra region.
If you’d like to learn more about how sessions work or whether therapy might help your relationship, you can explore my approach to couples therapy in Wollongong here:
