Couples, relationship & marriage counselling
Couples Counselling Canberra
Compassionate, practical support for couples, partners and spouses, face to face in Barton or online across Australia.
Every relationship goes through hard seasons. Whether you are stuck in the same argument on repeat, slowly drifting apart, rebuilding after a breach of trust, or simply wanting to feel close again, couples counselling gives you a calm, neutral space to understand what is happening between you and learn how to change it. At DIPAC we have supported Canberra couples through some of life’s most difficult moments since 2009, and you do not need to wait until things reach crisis point to come in.
How couples counselling helps
Couples counselling helps two people communicate more openly, understand each other’s needs, and work through conflict in a way that brings them closer rather than further apart. Together with your counsellor you’ll look at the patterns that keep tripping you up, like how you argue, how you make up, and what tends to go unsaid, and build practical skills you can keep using long after the sessions end.
You do not both need to feel ready, or even willing, for counselling to make a difference. When one partner begins to change, the dynamic between you shifts too, so attending on your own can be a powerful first step. If your relationship would also benefit from rebuilding physical closeness, we can talk about how our sex therapy support fits alongside this work.
Relationship and marriage counselling in Canberra
People come to us by different names for this work. Some are looking for relationship counselling to work through communication or trust before things harden into something bigger. Others want marriage counselling to repair or strengthen a long commitment, sometimes after infidelity, sometimes simply to feel close again. If your partner is not ready to attend, you are welcome to come on your own, and our individual counselling can support you there too. Whether you are dating, living together, engaged or married, and whether you come in together or alone, the work is the same: understanding what is happening between you, and learning how to change it.
What couples, relationship and marriage
counselling can help with
Whatever brought you here, you are not the only couple facing it. We regularly help people work through:
- Communication breakdowns and the same arguments on repeat
- Rebuilding trust after infidelity or betrayal
- Loss of intimacy, closeness or connection
- Conflict over money, parenting or extended family
- Major life changes such as a new baby, illness, grief, job loss or relocation
- Resentment, emotional distance or feeling unheard
- Deciding whether to stay together, separate or reconcile
- Strengthening an already good relationship before problems take hold
In person in Canberra, or online across Australia
In person at The Realm, Barton
DIPAC is based at The Realm in Barton, a short distance from Canberra’s city centre and easily reached from across the ACT and the surrounding region.
Online across Australia
If getting to an appointment is difficult, or you would simply prefer the comfort of your own home, we also offer online couples, relationship and marriage counselling to clients anywhere in Australia. Both options give you the same experienced support. The only difference is whether we meet in the room or on screen.
The 7-Step Couples Counselling Programme
If you would like more than open-ended sessions, our 7-Step Couples Counselling Programme offers a guided path to rebuild intimacy and reconnect over 60 days. It is a practical, step-by-step way to work on your relationship with clear focus and momentum.
Rebuild intimacy and reconnect over 60 days
Meet Darleen Barton
Founder and Director of DIPAC
DIPAC was founded by Darleen Barton in 2009 to give individuals, couples and families access to compassionate, practical support during life’s most challenging moments. With around 25 years’ experience across counselling, therapy and family mediation, Darleen has worked with couples through everything from everyday communication struggles to high-conflict separation and recovery from trauma. Her focus has always been the same: helping people strengthen relationships, resolve conflict, and build healthier futures for themselves and the people they love.
Professional memberships and accreditations
- Australian Counselling Association
- Australian Institute of Family Law Arbitrators and Mediators (AIFLAM), Accredited Member
- Mediation Institute of Australia
- International Institute for Complementary Therapists, Premier Member
- International Coaching Federation
- Registered NDIS Provider, Therapeutic and Behaviour Supports
- Accredited Private Health Provider
What our clients say
Couples counselling, I would never have considered it in the past, but our friends said you saved their marriage, so we thought we would try. We have learned so much in these last 12 weeks, and we have new skills that are working. We are so happy we met you and so grateful for what you have taught us. Forever thankful our children have happy parents again.
Donna and Brad
I came to you on my own as my marriage had reached an all-time low. Within a very short time you identified that my husband had suffered childhood trauma and was bringing his pain into our relationship. It has been a long journey, but so worth it. Our children are happy, they laugh a lot, and their father laughs with them. You have been our light at the end of a very dark tunnel. You never once gave up on us.
Brenda and Doug
Book couples, relationship or marriage
counselling in Canberra
Taking the first step is often the hardest part. When you are ready, booking an initial 45-minute session is simple, and it is a chance to see whether we are the right fit for you and your relationship. Sessions are available in person in Barton or online across Australia.