Separation and counselling
Family relationship issues can be stressful and emotionally difficult. Talking things through with a family law counsellor may help you manage your situation. Family law counselling can help you with the emotional impact of separation. It can also help you communicate better with your former partner about issues that need to be decided.
A family law counsellor can help you to develop strategies for activities such as family mediation.
Counselling services are available to couples who are together or separated. It can include extended family members such as grandparents and kinship carers.
What is said during family law counselling is confidential and cannot be used as evidence in court. However, there are exceptions to this if a counsellor identifies concerns about a person’s safety or criminal behaviour. A family law counsellor must report child abuse or anything that indicates a child is at risk of abuse, and this may be used as evidence in some circumstances.
More information about counselling is available in a Family counselling factsheet.
You can contact the Family Relationship Advice Line on 1800 050 321 to find help with locating a family law counsellor near you.
Melissa and her ex-partner Phil were constantly arguing about their children because they both had very different parenting styles. Melissa contacted the Family Relationship Advice Line to talk about their situation. The phone operator gave Melissa a referral to a counsellor that could help them with the situation.
Melissa talked to the counsellor about the arguments with Phil and the effect it was having on their children. The counsellor helped Melissa to see that a solution to the problems could be changed communication and gave Melissa some strategies to avoid falling into the same old arguments.
Phil could see how the counsellor had helped reduce the arguments, so he also set up an individual counselling session. After individual counselling, Melissa and Phil were able to work together to be more supportive parents to their children.
Related links
Next steps
Use find local help or the Family Relationship Advice Line to make an appointment with a family counsellor near you.
