For the long haul
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The marriage suitcase
Every marriage is a meeting of two lives — and each person brings their own suitcase. Inside are things collected over time: memories, assumptions, habits, fears, and private expectations about what marriage should look like. Some of it is visible. Much of it isn’t.
When problems surface, they often have less to do with the present moment than with what’s packed deep inside those suitcases. And when one partner doesn’t know what the other is carrying — or can’t make sense of their own — misunderstandings grow. Resentments build. Communication falters.
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How can we start unpacking things?
Counselling creates a structured space to start unpacking. Not all at once. Not for judgement. But to make visible what’s been left unsaid, misunderstood or misinterpreted.
This process can be difficult. It may bring up past pain, discomfort, or defensiveness. But it also opens the door to understanding. To noticing patterns you’re both stuck in. To deciding — with clarity — what can change and what can’t.
You’ll be supported throughout, with the option of drawing on Islamic scholarship where issues of faith or religious duty are involved. The aim is to make sense of what’s really happening between you — and to work out, together, what comes next.
What we can help with
What problems might you seek help for?
Communication
Noticing cycles of blame, shutdowns or the silent treatment.
Infidelity or affairs
Navigating the effect of secrecy and rebuilding of trust.
Intimacy
Tackling the disconnection or absence of physical intimacy.
Jealousy and suspicion
Dealing with feelings of mistrust, suspicion or surveillance
Feeling 'stuck'
Addressing feelings of being 'stuck' or having 'settled' for your spouse.
Wider family dynamics
Navigating emotional or logistical strain from extended family roles
One-to-one sessions
You may want to have one-to-one sessions with another counsellor to address personal issues.
Youth Counselling
Are there young people being affected by your circumstances? Our youth counsellors can provide guided support.
Group Therapy
If there are wider family dynamics at play, we can help you navigate these dynamics in a constructive way.