Relationship therapy — Melbourne & telehealth

Couples therapy and relationship counselling in Melbourne.

Couples often come to us when communication has broken down, when trust has taken a hit, during big life transitions, or when they need some help navigating their relationship and future. We see couples in Carlton and online, and every kind of relationship is welcome.

Not sure? Take the match quiz

A Unison therapy room in Carlton with a grey sofa, soft cushions, plants and natural light

Who this is for

Couples who keep having the same fight and want to actually get somewhere
Partners working through trust or jealousy
Couples under pressure from a big change: a new baby, a move, one of you changing careers
Separating parents who want help working out how to co-parent
Polyamorous, open and multi-partner relationships (we have pages written for you below)

What to expect

One individual session each first, so your therapist hears both sides before you're in the room together
65 min sessions for two people and 75 min for three or more, longer than a standard hour
Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) and systemic approaches, depending on what fits
A therapist who won’t pick a side or decide for you whether to stay together
Online, or in person at our Carlton office. Saturday morning sessions are available online.

How couples therapy works here

Before your first joint session, each of you has one individual session with the therapist. It gives them each person's version of what's going on, including anything that's hard to say with your partner in the room.

Then joint sessions begin. The first one is mostly about mapping the pattern: what sets an argument off, what each of you does next, and where it usually ends up. Later sessions work on changing that pattern as it comes up in the session.

Our default framework is Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT). It looks past the surface argument to the fear underneath it, which usually sounds something like "do I still matter to you?" More in what is Emotion-Focused Therapy?

What it costs

Sessions for two people are $355 (65 min), and sessions for three or more are $410 (75 min). In-person sessions at Carlton carry a $20 surcharge; telehealth doesn't. A concession rate of $215 applies to sessions for two people and $370 for three or more, though the wait for concession spots is longer.

Medicare rebates don't apply to relationship therapy. That's a Medicare rule rather than ours: Mental Health Care Plan rebates only cover individual sessions. Full details are on the fees page.

Who you’ll see

Nash Mbani is a mental health nurse and holistic counsellor with more than twenty years in mental health. She works with couples in person in Carlton and online, and has a particular interest in relationships going through major life transitions.

Natasha Lama is a counsellor and sex therapist with a warm, humorous style. She sees couples online on weekday afternoons and evenings, and on Saturday mornings. If sex and intimacy are part of what you want to work on, she's a good first choice.

Not sure who fits? Send an enquiry and we'll suggest someone based on what you tell us.

Why Unison, not a generalist clinic?

Unison was founded in 2019 to work with the relationships mainstream services often get wrong: queer couples, non-monogamous partners, people in kink communities. That experience carries into all our couples work. Your therapist starts from what the two of you want, not a fixed idea of what a relationship should look like. We also offer accredited mediation for separation and co-parenting.

Polyamorous, open, or a throuple?

We have pages written specifically for non-monogamous and multi-partner relationships — what sessions look like, who comes to which ones, and what they cost.

Understanding your attachment style

Attachment patterns shape how closeness and conflict feel in a relationship. Our therapists work in an attachment-informed way — these guides explain the four styles and how therapy can help.

Looking for a neurodivergent-affirming therapist?

Several of our clinicians work in a neurodivergent-affirming way, including with autistic and ADHD adults.

Neurodivergent-affirming therapy

Common questions

Do we both have to come to the first session?

Not together. Each of you has one individual session with the therapist first, then joint sessions begin. If your partner isn't ready to come yet, you can start with your own session and go from there.

How much does couples therapy cost?

$355 for a 65 min session with two people, or $410 for 75 min with three or more. There's a $20 surcharge for in person and none for telehealth. Medicare rebates don't apply to relationship therapy.

Will the therapist tell us whether to break up?

No. Some couples come to stay together, some to work out whether they should, and some to separate without doing more damage. Your therapist's job is to help you both see the situation clearly, not to make that decision for you.

Can we do couples therapy online?

Yes. We see couples by telehealth anywhere in Australia, and you can join from different locations if you live apart or one of you travels for work.

Therapists who work in this space

Nash Mbani

Counsellor & Mental Health Nurse · she/her

Nash is a South African-born, Melbourne-based therapist who works with couples and individuals, with relationships as her main focus — communication, repair, and staying connected through conflict and change, including for people in polyamorous and non-monogamous partnerships. She draws on more than 20 years as an AHPRA-registered psychiatric nurse, including a long history facilitating group therapy, and a Master of Holistic Counselling, bringing that clinical grounding into somatic work and nervous system regulation.

Full profile

Natasha Lama

Counsellor & Sex Therapist · she/her

Natasha is a registered psychotherapist with a Master's in Counselling and specialised clinical training in sex therapy. She offers inclusive sex therapy, multicultural counselling, and sex-positive, relationship-diverse care.

Full profile

Meg Wilson

Founder, Psychotherapist · she/her

Meg is the founder and lead psychotherapist for Unison. For over a decade, she has integrated clinical psychotherapy with creative art therapies and systemic relationship models, with a special focus on non-typical relationship structures.

New clients are currently waitlistedFull profile

Ready when you are.

Start with a free 15-minute fit call — a real conversation with a therapist, not a sales pitch. If it isn’t the right fit, we’ll say so and point you somewhere better.

Unison is not a crisis service. If you are in immediate danger call 000, or contact Lifeline 24/7 on 13 11 14.