MENOPAUSE/COUPLES

Perimenopause and Relationships Counselling in Corrimal

Support for couples navigating emotional change, conflict, and connection during perimenopause.

When perimenopause affects your relationship

Perimenopause can place unexpected strain on even strong, long-term relationships. Emotional changes, increased anxiety, irritability, or exhaustion can affect how partners communicate, connect, and cope together.

Many couples find themselves asking:

“Why are we arguing more than we used to?”
“Why do I feel so disconnected from my partner?”
“Why does everything feel harder right now?”

These experiences are more common than many people realise — and they’re not a sign that your relationship is failing.

How perimenopause can show up in relationships

During perimenopause, hormonal changes can affect emotional regulation, stress tolerance, and sensitivity. This can make it harder to stay calm, patient, or connected during everyday interactions.

Couples may notice:

more frequent or intense conflict
misunderstandings escalating quickly
emotional withdrawal or shutdown
feeling criticised, rejected, or unheard
changes in intimacy or closeness

Often, both partners feel confused and unsure how to support each other.

Why this stage can trigger deeper relationship stress

Perimenopause often overlaps with other major life transitions — changes in work, identity, parenting roles, health, or ageing parents. When emotional capacity is stretched, unresolved relationship patterns or long-standing tensions may come to the surface.

This doesn’t mean perimenopause causes relationship problems. Instead, it can highlight areas where extra understanding, communication, and support are needed.

Supporting both partners, not placing blame

One of the most important parts of counselling during this stage is shifting away from blame. Perimenopause is not “all in your head,” and relationship strain is rarely just one person’s responsibility.

Couples counselling creates space to:

understand what’s happening emotionally and relationally
improve communication during difficult conversations
rebuild emotional safety and empathy
navigate changes as a team rather than opponents

Both partners deserve to feel heard, respected, and supported.

A personal understanding of this stage

I also want to acknowledge that this stage of life isn’t something I understand only professionally.

I have been through perimenopause myself, and I know how difficult it can be. For me, it came with significant mood swings, hot flushes, anxiety, and brain fog. There were times when I didn’t feel like myself and struggled to make sense of what was happening.

That lived experience has shaped how I work. It means I approach this stage with compassion, realism, and respect for how disruptive and unsettling it can feel — both personally and within relationships. You don’t need to explain or justify what you’re experiencing here. I understand how real it is.

How counselling can help during perimenopause

Perimenopause and relationships counselling can help couples:

reduce conflict and reactivity
understand emotional and anxiety changes
communicate needs more clearly and safely
rebuild connection and intimacy
develop practical strategies for managing stress together

Counselling isn’t about fixing one partner. It’s about strengthening the relationship during a challenging life transition.

My approach

At Hope and Grow Counselling Services, I work with couples using evidence-based approaches including Relational Life Therapy (RLT), the Gottman Method, Schema Therapy, and Internal Family Systems (IFS).

My approach is warm, grounded, and honest. I aim to support both partners to feel understood while gently challenging unhelpful patterns so real, lasting change can occur.

Perimenopause and relationship counselling in Corrimal

I offer counselling for couples in Corrimal who are navigating perimenopause, relationship conflict, emotional distance, and life transitions. Sessions are available online or face-to-face, depending on your needs.

If perimenopause is affecting your relationship, you don’t have to work through it alone. With the right support, this stage can become a time of deeper understanding and renewed connection.

Taking the next step

If you’d like support navigating perimenopause and relationship challenges, I invite you to get in touch to book a consultation or ask any questions.