Couples' Therapy - Welcome

Welcome to Threshold

Whether you have a specific difficulty in your relationship, or a broader sense of feeling stuck, couples therapy can provide a space to understand what is happening and begin moving towards meaningful change.

I'm Kevin Brohan, a psychotherapist working with individuals and couples. I offer in-person couples therapy at Houldsworth Mill in Heaton Chapel, serving the Stockport and Marple area.

My Ethos

Therapy offers a confidential and collaborative relationship in which there is time to explore thoughts, feelings and experiences more deeply than is often possible elsewhere. My approach is shaped by my training, ongoing professional development and regular clinical supervision. My aim is to help you understand yourself, your relationships and the patterns that shape your life, working with you towards achieving greater freedom, vitality and choice.

You might recognise some of these experiences

Couples come to therapy for many different reasons. Some of the questions below may resonate with your experience.

Intimacy

Feeling close, understood and able to be yourself

  • Do you feel let down, unheard or misunderstood by your partner?
  • Do conversations about difficult feelings turn into blame, defensiveness or withdrawal?
  • Do you find yourself reacting in ways you don’t like or recognise when you’re together?
  • Are you unsure how to set boundaries while staying close?
  • Has trust been damaged, leaving you unsure how to rebuild it?
  • Do you feel you have to hide parts of yourself to keep the peace?
  • Are experiences from the past making closeness difficult now?

Passion

Desire, affection and enjoying each other

  • Has sexual intimacy become difficult, distant or a source of tension?
  • Have your desires changed, or do you want different levels of intimacy?
  • Do you miss affection, playfulness or feeling wanted?
  • Do you enjoy activities together but struggle to enjoy simply being together?
  • Are you finding it difficult to talk openly about what you want?

Commitment

Choosing the relationship and finding a way forward

  • Do you keep trying to make changes, only to fall back into familiar patterns?
  • Do you care deeply about each other but find everyday life together difficult?
  • Does the balance of responsibility leave you feeling resentful, guilty or alone?
  • Are you unsure whether you want the same future?
  • Are you considering changes to your relationship, including opening it up or separating?

About Kevin

Kevin Brohan

You may be coming to therapy with a specific difficulty, or with a broader sense of being held back, not fully alive or not in control. Even when life looks fine from the outside, it may feel very different from within.

Talking to friends or family can be helpful, but sometimes these relationships are part of what maintains the difficulty, or they may not offer the safety or depth you need to examine what is happening. Therapy offers a confidential and impartial relationship in which there is time to explore your experience more fully.

I believe that life involves pursuing vitality while maintaining our capacity for introspection and curiosity. Together, we will form a therapeutic alliance focused on understanding what is happening and working towards meaningful and lasting change.

I am an individual member of the BACP and a Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy Trainee with UKATA. I work under regular clinical supervision.

I work with individuals and couples.

Process

Finding a psychotherapist can be a daunting process, especially if you have not spoken with one before. It can take some time to find a therapist who feels like a good fit, as each person is different. The following sections explain my process and what you can expect with me.

Therapy process: Reaching out

Initial Contact

"Reaching Out"

This is the first step, via the contact form on this website. You can briefly share what is bringing you to couples therapy, or simply say that you would like to talk. I will usually respond the same day and arrange a time to speak with each of you individually.

Therapy process: Introductory call

Introductory Call

"A short, informal conversation"

I will speak with each of you individually, usually in a phone conversation of around 15 minutes. This is a chance for us to connect briefly, answer your initial questions, and get a feel for whether working together might be a good fit. There is no pressure or commitment.

We will agree which of you will be the designated point of contact for administrative arrangements. If we decide to work together, I will send you the welcome documents, which contain our working agreement, mutual expectations and payment information. We will then agree on a first appointment time, face-to-face at Houldsworth Mill. The frequency of appointments will also be agreed at this point.

Therapy process: Assessment

Assessment

"Beginning to get a sense of things"

We will then enter a period of assessment, which normally lasts for up to six appointments. This is a longer conversation in which we explore what has brought you to therapy, what changes you would like to make in your relationship, and how we might work together towards those goals.

Sessions during this period are likely to focus on building a therapeutic relationship while developing a clearer understanding of your current situation and the experiences that have shaped it.

Therapy process: Ongoing therapy

Ongoing Therapy

"The main therapeutic work"

Regular sessions begin and we enter an ongoing therapeutic contract. We work together at a pace that feels manageable and meaningful, exploring thoughts, feelings, behaviours, patterns and possibilities. This stage is collaborative and flexible, with a shared focus on the changes we have agreed to work towards.

Therapy process: Closing

Closing

"Ending well"

When the time is right, we will plan for an ending together. This might happen naturally over time or become a more structured piece of work. The aim is to reflect on what has changed, what has been learned and what comes next.

Appointments

Location

I see couples face-to-face at Houldsworth Mill in Heaton Chapel, Stockport.

Houldsworth Mill, Heaton Chapel office

Houldsworth Mill, Heaton Chapel

Times

I work on Tuesdays and Thursdays, between 10am and 9.30pm. Appointments last for 50 minutes.

I work with shift workers and others with irregular schedules, with the expectation that we meet at least twice per month.

Fees

Individuals: £50

Couples: £55

Contact

To arrange an introductory call, please fill in the form below.