Therapies

Couples Therapy

There are many different forms of couples therapy. Our approach has been developed to help people in relationships where one, or both, partners are experiencing depression.

Couples Therapy involves looking at the way depression affects you and your partner, and also how the relationship impacts on your mood.

How it works

The aim of Couples Therapy is to help couples improve the way they communicate about the problems they are having together, and to change how they respond towards each other.

Sometimes meeting with us can open the way to better communication, so that you both can cope better with the depression and offer each other more support.

We help you to:

  • Think about ways to manage difficult feelings, thoughts and unhelpful behaviours that are affecting the relationship

  • Identify helpful coping strategies for both of you to manage the stress and use to benefit the relationship

  • Accept the differences between you both

  • Improve problem-solving skills

  • Tolerate parts of your relationship that might be difficult to change

What it’s like

Couples Therapy involves firstly understanding the depression and its impact on you both.

You may both be offered a session on your own at the beginning of therapy as some things can be hard to talk about with your partner at first.

Mostly, we help the two of you have a conversation so that you can find your own ways to understand and resolve the difficulties you’re having.

We also encourage you and your partner to practice new skills and coping strategies.

We spend time reflecting on the impact of your new ways of responding, and to see what is of most benefit for you and your relationship.

You may like to read some feedback and encouragements by those who received therapy with us.

Other therapies

Read more about the different types of therapy we offer:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Counselling

Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy

Compassion-focused Therapy

Acceptance & Commitment Therapy

Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing

Narrative Exposure Therapy

Interpersonal Therapy

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia

Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy

Difficulties we treat

If you’re going through a hard time, we want you to know that you’re not alone and good support is now available. We provide talking therapies for all kinds of common mental health difficulties.

Self-help resources

Be sure to check out our useful section of self-help resources for wellbeing.

Employment advice

Alongside therapy our Employment Team can help you find employment or training, and support you with workplace adjustments or disputes.

Make the first step

We know the courage it takes to ask for help, and we hope you’ll consider therapy with us. Read more about what to expect if you refer.

Talking Change is for everyone aged sixteen or over, who live in Portsmouth and are registered with a GP in the city.

You can self-refer by calling us on 0300 123 3934 or by completing this secure form online.

Urgent help

Talking Change is not an emergency mental health service for people in crisis. Support is available from specialist services if urgent help is needed.