Last updated on January 12th, 2018 at 04:56 pm
Philipa is a Medicare Registered Psychologist Practicing in the Sydney Eastern Suburbs
Hi there! Thank you for taking the time to read this. I am the person and the Sydney Psychologist behind this website and Marriage Works, so let me give you a snapshot.
Graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Criminology from Victoria in the ‘90s, I had no idea what direction my career path was headed. That time, the only job I was able to get was with a telephone company, helping people with the new technology of mobile phones.
A colleague suggested that I improve my ability to work with people, after seeing me train as a Youthline phone counsellor in Wellington, New Zealand. This sparked a career shift towards counselling.
My Australian counselling career began in 2001 with the Salvation Army in Cabramatta, the then heroin capital of New South Wales. With Major John Drew and a colleague, I started a service from the ground up FYRST: Fairfield Youth Recovery Support Team.
This led me to work at the Drug Intervention Services Cabramatta, a division of South Western Area Health service.
From there, I was recruited by the NSW Health Department in Kirketon Road Centre, the cutting edge primary health centre treating the Kings Cross/Darlinghurst areas. A further four-year stint at the Langton Centre on the therapy team really helped hone my counselling and group therapy facilitation skills.
Just to keep myself a little busier, I completed an Honours degree in Psychology, basing my thesis on interviews of intimate partners’ sexual communication effects when living with cancer.
Most recently, I have worked at Relationships Australia, where I completed my Graduate Diploma in Systemic Couple Therapy.
My personal journey has given me the gift of a 20-something daughter (Jessica), and has taken me through pregnancy, childbirth, the early child years and teenage angst, and to a new home country.
Thanks for taking the time to get to know me. I hope to get to know you, too!
I am here for you – Call 0434 559 011 for a free 10-minute chat now.
Philipa Thornton is an experienced and qualified Sydney Eastern Suburbs registered psychologist offering relationship counselling, and marriage and couple counselling.
Hi it’s funny how god works that o would find this site my issue is trust my marriage is at the stage of my husband adamant about ending it to many times we had a plan to do something and I didn’t follow through my insecurities caused lots of havoc to the point he feels he’s losing his sanity and can’t trust my word he wants us to tell the kids we’re ending it. Is there any hope we have been married 13 years and been together 17
Dear Kim,
yes I think where there is life in a relationship, there is hope.
So the key is not to try and change him, or suggest anything. Do the LRT and practice complete acceptance of his experience and wishes. So many people when they hear their partner complain and talk of leaving, will remind them of the good times, the kids etc. This will come across as – “here we go again, they still are not getting me and my pain, and yes I should leave for the kids.”
There is such power in really hearing and sitting with a persons feelings.
Kim you need to deal with your insecurities pronto – great you recognise how they have contributed to relationship stress – well done, now do something! xx