Hi, I’m Philipa Thornton, and I’m here to help you navigate the ups and downs of your relationship. With decades of experience in relationship counselling, I’ve seen firsthand the struggles that couples face—whether it’s constant arguments over the same issues, feeling disconnected from your partner, or wondering if you’ve lost the love that once brought you together.

I am a certified Imago Couple Therapist and Mental Health Social Worker. I love working with couples and creating a safe space for couples to bring whatever struggles and challenges they’re going through and start the process of understanding each other better and reconnecting. The Imago Relationship Model facilitates a new way of communication that allows couples to understand themselves and their partners more deeply and bring connection, hope, healing and joy.

Some of the common issues that couples bring to counselling are; communication issues, conflict, a break down in trust, mental health concerns that are impacting the relationship, lack of emotional and or physical intimacy, conflict and stress over parenting, grief, the impact of past traumas, transitioning into retirement and new relationships.

Imago therapy is a renowned process for building safety between couples, by providing a clear process for building connection and communicating through all aspects of relationship – appreciations, joyfulness, frustrations, expressing frustrations, and behaviour change requests.

Falling in love is easy! As time moves on, power struggles inevitably arise in relationships which can be challenging  when we neither understand what underlies the conflict nor have the skills to work through differences. Staying in love requires a conscious commitment to each other; navigating and reimaging the relationship as we move through the different life stages. Addressing skills  deficits, understanding the role of conflict in growth and infusing relationships with appreciation, and
joyfulness. When we understand the importance of conflict and navigating conflict, infinite possibilities arise for vitality in relationships.

Trained as a Clinical Psychologist and integrative wellness practitioner, Suzanne has a sound reputation for assisting individuals and couples to gain insight into their repeating patterns, and helping people develop their skills to deepen connections so life can be more joyful and meaningful.