|
Russell
Drinkwater BA (Psychology), PGCertPsychPrac, MPracNLP
Psychologist & Relationship Counsellor
|
Russells
Qualifications
Russell is an experienced
Psychologist and an Authorised Supervisor for the NSW Psychologist
Registration Board (this means that he supervises the training and
professional development of Intern Psychologists). Russell completed a
Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) from The University of Queensland, a
Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology from Macquarie University and a
Postgraduate Certificate in Psychological Practice from The Australian
College of Applied Psychology. Russell has also completed Certificate
IV Assessment and Workplace Training and Master Practitioner of NLP.
Russell has specialised in couples counselling and has completed: Level
I Marital Therapy: A Research Based Approach; Level II Assessment,
Intervention and Co-Morbidities and Level III Certification Practicum
at The Gottman Institute in Seattle. The Gottman Institute is world
renowned having conducted intensive, long-term scientific studies into
why marriages succeed or fail. Over 190 academic articles have been
published.
Russell has also received specialised training in counselling persons
with cancer by The Cancer Council of NSW and Sacred Heart Palliative
Care & Rehabilitation Services. Russell was also a reviewer for
the publication “Understanding Testicular Cancer: A guide for men with
cancer, their families and friends”.
Russell has also received advanced training in counselling adult
survivors of child sexual abuse &/or adult sexual assault from
the Education Centre Against Violence (funded by NSW Health).
Member of the Mental Health Association of NSW. Member of
Cancer Counselling Professionals NSW Inc
|
|
Specialties
- Helping people with relationship
issues. Russell has an extensive background in relationship counselling
through working at Relationships Australia and in private practice.
This includes individual &/or couples counselling to help
people cope with separation, divorce, step-family dynamics, disclosure
of infidelity, coping with infertility or domestic violence.
- Helping couples to productively
manage conflict using evidence based strategies. Educating couples so
that they can avoid the common pitfalls that destroy relationships.
- Assisting couples to better manage
stress. Stress from other sources (eg work stress) can sometimes spill
over and have a detrimental effect on a relationship.
- Providing couples with simple
strategies to strengthen their relationship. Giving couples the tools
to deepen their levels of friendship, fondness and intimacy.
- Pre-marital counselling so that the
couple can discuss values, beliefs and ways to support each others’
dreams.
- Marathon couples counselling
sessions for regional/rural/interstate clients.
- Helping couples when a spouse has
been diagnosed with cancer. Often people can feel overwhelmed with
emotions. Talking to an experienced cancer counsellor can help make it
less daunting.
- Helping people who have depression
that is caused by relationship problems.
- Supporting clients who are trying
to quit smoking (including clients who are taking Champix and need to
be in a support program). Russell is an expert on the latest
pharmacotherapy’s and treatment regimes for quitting smoking.
- Counselling adult survivors of
child sexual assault &/or adult sexual assault.
- Supervising Intern Psychologists
during their 5th and 6th years of training.
|
|
Are you
feeling unhappy in your relationship?
Are you arguing about the same issues and unable to reach a solution?
Have you thought about separation?
When you are struggling with your partner it is nice to know that you
are not alone.
On average people wait 6 years before seeking help with a relationship
problem. The longer a problem persists, the greater the
resentment builds towards your partner. Seeking help can feel scary and
confronting. People are sometimes afraid because they don’t know what
will happen in couples counselling. Russell knows that this
can be a very difficult time. If you could use some support Russell
would like to help. Many clients report that making the first phone
call brings a sense of relief. Russell is friendly, warm, approachable
and professional.
|
|
What to
expect from couples counselling?
The first session you will talk about the history of your relationship,
areas of concern and goals for treatment. In the second session I will
meet with each of you individually to learn your personal histories and
to give each of you an opportunity to share your thoughts, feelings and
perceptions. In the third session I will share with you my
recommendations for treatment and work to define mutually agreed goals
for your therapy.
Most of the work will involve sessions in which you are seen together
as a couple. However, there may be times when individual sessions are
recommended. I may also give you exercises to practise between
sessions. Couples have reported that they find the exercises and
strategies quite easy to understand and appreciate their practical
nature. Couples also appreciate that the strategies are
evidence based i.e. scientific research has proved that they work and
that they help to strengthen relationships.
The length of therapy will be determined by your specific needs and
goals. I will encourage you to raise any questions or concerns that you
have about therapy at any time.
In the later stage of therapy we will meet less frequently in order for
you to test out your new relationship skills and to prepare for
termination of the therapy.
Four follow-up sessions are planned after termination of the therapy:
one after 6 months, one after 12 months, one after 18 months and one
after 2 years. These sessions have been shown through research to
significantly decrease the chances of relapse into previous, unhelpful
patterns.
|
|
|
|
|
