Have you ever worked with a couple where one partner had significant ambivalence about whether they want to continue with the relationship?

Many couple and marriage counsellors make the mistake of commencing couple therapy without having both partners fully committed to working on the relationship.

When this is the case, discernment counselling may be required, because it is a way for couples to look at their options before making a decision about divorce.

Discernment counselling is right for couples who want more understanding of what’s happened to their relationship and help for deciding whether to break up or to try to repair it. It’s different from regular relationship counselling because discernment counselling is not about solving the problems in your marriage; it’s about figuring out whether the problems can be solved.

Dr Bill Doherty, Director of the Doherty Relationship Institute created his unique model of discernment counselling so therapists can help couples who present in this way.

In this interview Bill discusses: