Mr Steven Dromgool
Relationship Therapist, Counsellor
Relate Relationship Therapy
Sydney, NSW 2900
Currently On Leave
Philosophy & Vision
Do you want an awesome relationship? My goal is to enable you to create love that lasts so that you can live a richer, happier life. We all know, and research confirms that the single biggest factor affecting our health and longevity is the quality of our personal relationships. I will help you to rekindle your passion, restore connection and have good communication with your partner. Even if right now, all seems lost - together we can work to recover and heal your relationship.
Background
Steven has been working in couples' therapy for over 20 years in NZ and recently moved to Sydney, due to Covid-19. He has trained around the world under relationship experts including Harville Hendrix, John and Julia Gottman, Stan Tatkin, Maya Kollman, Ellen and Peter Bader-Pearson. He has been actively involved in promoting and linking therapeutic and brain science insights to produce more powerful and integrated connection solutions. Steven is an Advanced Imago Clinician, has completed level 2 and 3 training in Emotionally Focussed Therapy and Gottman Method respectively, and was the Senior Clinical Instructor on the International Faculty of the Relational Path Institute.
Services
Steven has over 20 years experience in couples therapy and counselling. He is currently doing online video appointments and home visits. He also creates and provides educational resources to clients, such as the online relationship course for couples, 'Love in a Time of Covid'. Steven is the Director of Relate Relationship Therapy, and conducts professional training for counsellors wanting to become specialist couples therapists.
Quality Provision
Commitment to evidence-based practice
Adhering to ACA ethical guidelines
Steven maintains professional development regularly, he is extending his training in both the Development Model of Relationship Therapy and the Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy with Stan Tatkin.
Areas of Special Interest
Accreditations
- Masters of Counselling - 2002 - Massey University, NZ
- Advanced Imago Relationship Clinician - 2014 - Imago Relationships International
Modalities
ACT - Emotionally Focused Therapy - Imago Relationship - Mindfulness
Therapy Approach
Steven's approach as a relationship counsellor is to empower couples with tools to communicate effectively so that they can feel safe, loved and desired. He has a special interest in working with clients to prepare for marriage and to restore lost connection. Steven also runs full day and multi-day intensive therapy sessions.
The methods Steven uses combine practical guidance and coaching in a warm and safe environment, along with teaching the "hows' and "whys' of building love.
Professional Associations
- Australian Counselling Association
A conversation with Steven Dromgool
-
I went into therapy because of a desire to make a positive difference in the world and doubting I had the patience to make it as a high school teacher. I moved into specialising in couples therapy out of a desire to understand the struggles I was having to succeed in my relationships and the clear indications in the research that the quality of our personal relationships determined our happiness in life.
-
I was raised in a Irish Catholic household and I have no doubt that contributed to the values I place on contributing to society. I would say my strongest recent influences have been the work of Martin Buber, a German Jewish philosopher writing in the aftermath of the second world war and seeking to understand and articulate how a society could turn on each other. He writes of a Jewish belief that human's all carry a unique aspect of the face of God and when we encounter one another with an open heart - he calls it an I-Thou encounter - that in that place we encounter the divine.
I have been privileged to see an experience this many times personally and when couples turn and begin to listen deeply - this encounter is at the centre of the way that I work. -
I'm fascinated with how couples meet, choose and fall in love. I'm passionate about helping men have deep, emotionally connected, sexually fulfilling relationships with their partners, and safe, tender, secure relationships with their kids. I'm excited about helping women understand their men - because we are a lot more complex and wonderful than we let on. I'm also interested in love throughout the lifespan but the most fun I ever have is with new relationships - it's such a pleasure and joy to help couples start out right and avoid years of unnecessary pain.
-
I'm trained in 5 different approaches to working with couples and train other therapists in the integrated approach we developed from that. In essence I am focussed on goals and enhancing connection. From a couple or individual seeing me I want to know what they want to achieve and then I want to know where they are succeeding and what is not working. From their I have a testing laboratory approach where I will coach and support and lead and encourage and observe couples with a focus on is this making it better. Along the way I'll teach you about relevant bits of research and tips and tricks from other couples, I'll give you home practice opportunities and step by step you will learn how to succeed in creating a deep, stable, loving connection until you don't need me anymore and I'll say goodbye and invite you to check in with me in 6-12 months to check that you are still on track.
-
My goal is that in the first session a couple will feel like they experienced each other in a different way. In the first month the couple should be competent at dialoguing deeply and safely in the office. In 3 months they should have a range of very successful tools to help them stay connected in dialogue outside the office. The exceptions to this typically occur where there is significant trauma in which case the process often takes longer to assimilate outside the office. Trauma is normally identified in the first 2-3 weeks.
-
Has it? I feel amazingly lucky to have the trust of my clients and to be able to help people fall in love again in my office everyday. It also helps me see the impact of loving/ and unloving behaviour over time and that is a good impetus to me to want to repair breaches fast, show up in connection and to tell my wife and kids every day that I love them and I treasure them. Basically I think it's helped me stay more connected.
-
I said this one before - seeing couples fall in love again is AMAZING.
-
I don't have enough hair for that fortunately. But I definitely notice when I am not connected well with my family it's harder to feel in my integrity. On the flip side I think it also builds my compassion for myself and my clients so it's all a learning process and a reminder that there is no such thing as a perfect relationship - just a committed one.
-
What an awesome question - it's the reason I'm a relationship therapist. I believe our biggest issue is disconnection - we were not meant to be alone - it breaks our heart and violates our humanity.
-
I'm privileged to know an amazing artist who taught to see the skyscapes and be reminded of beauty and hope. You can check her work out here https://mobile.facebook.com/corinneloxtonartist/photos/pb.1444659372447474.-2207520000../2725640514349347/?type=3