Couples Counselling London — Training & Supervision for Therapists

In training to become a counsellor or psychotherapist, most of the focus is on learning how to work with individuals; there may be a module or weekend that deals with couples counselling but more often than not, all that gives you is a bit of theory and not much else.

The training we offer is designed to give you the tools and the confidence to either start working with couples or to enhance your existing practice. Our courses are practical and based very firmly on what we have found to be most effective with the clients we work with. You will learn about different theoretical models, but only in as much as how you can make practical use of them in the consulting room.

If you do choose to train with us you will see just how much we love working with couples. Our hope is that you’ll love it too.

about us

Unlike the majority of couples we work with, we’re very happily married. We got together nearly thirty years ago, ‘blended’ our three children from our previous relationships and had another one ourselves. Where we are similar to the majority of the couples we (and you will) see, is that we weren’t aware of the part neurodivergence played in our relationship. We’d been married for nineteen years when we found out. We’ve gone through a lot of the difficulties that our clients bring to us, and we’ve come out the other side. So we know, at the most fundamental level, that satisfying, stimulating, fulfilling relationships that stay satisfying, stimulating and fulfilling are possible and, that with the right tools, you really can ‘make love stay.’

We run a busy private practice in central London, and we’re both UKCP-registered. Sarah is a PTSTA and clinical supervisor with an MSc in Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy, Paul has a PG.Dip in Transactional Analysis Psychotherapeutic Counselling and a PG.Cert in Autism.

what people say

"I want to thank you once again for the wonderful course on couples therapy. Now, months later, I truly realize how much I learned from it and how deeply it has strengthened my practice."

— TS, Kyiv

"Highly skilled & experienced clinicians who created a brilliant and safe learning environment. Two months on, the course has paid for itself! I would highly recommend this."

— J.A. Sheffield

"Paul and Sarah are outstanding trainers. I've thoroughly engaged with all aspects of the course and found each module informative and inspiring. I now feel well equipped to go out and work with couples more confidently!"

— L.R. Wiltshire

"The best 6 days training you'll spend if you want a really well delivered, fun, rich, informative introduction to working with couples. Sarah and Paul really are such a treasure and a great resource of knowledge. They teach so well, in a relaxed, fun and well-informed way. Couldn't recommend more!"

— R.B. London

"Loved all of it! I really enjoyed this course and feel better equipped to meet clients with resources and tools in my back pocket. Thank you!"

— A.R. Brighton

our courses

introduction to working with couples

ONLINE · SEPT 12–13, OCT 10–11, NOV 7–8, 2026

A six-day certificate course, run over one weekend a month for three months, for practising therapists who want to start working with couples or refresh and expand an existing couples practice. Strongly practical in orientation, drawing on Transactional Analysis and TA-adjacent approaches (Imago, Bader-Pearson Developmental Model), covering everything from intake and contracting to negotiating endings.

You will learn to work with the issues couples most often bring — betrayal, sexuality and desire, high conflict — and with the most commonly missed issue of all: neurodivergence, including our own model for working with neurodiverse couples.

36 hours CPD (or 36 hours advanced psychotherapy training for TA trainees) · Requires 100 hours of supervised practice (not necessarily with couples) · £660 (deposit £60, balance due 14 days before the course starts)

Book your place

introduction to working with couples — in-person

IN-PERSON, THE BERNE INSTITUTE · MARCH 6–7 · APRIL 3–4 · MAY 1–2

The same six-day certificate course, taught in person at The Berne Institute. Ideal if you learn best in the room, and includes live experiential work with the course leaders and fellow participants.

36 hours CPD · Requires 100 hours of supervised practice · £900 (£825 for current trainees at The Berne Institute)

Register your interest

working with neurodiverse couples

NEXT DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED

A practical two-day workshop on identifying and working with neurodivergence in couples counselling. If you work with couples, you are almost certainly already working with neurodiverse couples — whether or not you or they know it. Covers neurotypes, how neurodiversity shows up in relationships, a step-by-step model for working with ND couples, fishbowl observation, and small-group supervision of your own couples work.

12 hours CPD · £220 · Best suited to those already working with couples

Register your interest

course registration

Course

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Email

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Please briefly list your relevant training, experience and/or qualifications

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Are you neurodivergent?

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Payment

Deposit — £60Balance of £600 due 14 days before the course starts Pay in full — £660Nothing further to pay

Registration here is for our online course. For the in-person course at The Berne Institute, please use the ‘Register your interest’ button above. Your place is reserved once payment is received. You will receive confirmation by email.

supervision

As a PTSTA and UKCP-registered Supervisor I offer online and in-person, individual and group supervision. I specialise in supervision around neurodivergence and couples work as well as supervising ND supervisees.

My work with supervisees is built upon my commitment to the OK-OK relationship, ethical practice and inclusivity. I see my role as offering clinical guidance as well as support for your professional and personal development, suggesting additional resources and learning where I can. As a polyvagal-informed TA therapist, I’m interested in the interaction of brain-body-gut-heart and bringing that awareness to supervisees as we examine what is happening in the supervision room as well as in the therapy room with your clients. I use an exploratory and therapeutic enquiry style to help bring understanding of where difficulties in the work might lie. I welcome feedback and discussion of our work together, including contracting and regular reviewing of our work to ensure it continues to meet your needs. In summary, I seek to maintain an equal relationship with supervisees whilst we complete the key tasks of supervision:

Ensuring no harm to clients or the supervisee;
Creating a safe space for the supervisee to reflect on his/her/their clinical work and to understand his/her/their clients at a deeper level, using TA theory and parallel process;
Developing non-judgemental challenges to enable the supervisee’s professional learning.

To discuss your particular requirements and find out about availability, contact me directly.

Contact Sarah

contact

Address
Sutherland Street
London SW1V 4JU

Paul McManus
paul@cpls.london
07837 825 665

Sarah Demaree
sarah@cpls.london
07771 538 476