Meet – Imago Marriage Counsellors and Psychologists of Marriage Works

Last updated on February 9th, 2026 at 02:51 pm

Philipa is a Medicare Registered Psychologist Practicing in the Sydney Eastern Suburbs

Philipa Thornton

Relationship Psychologist & Founder, Marriage Works

People usually arrive at Marriage Works when something important feels uncertain.

I’m Philipa Thornton, a psychologist who works with individuals and couples navigating long-term relationships, attachment strain, betrayal, and moments where connection feels fragile or lost.

My work is grounded in helping people slow things down, understand what’s happening beneath the surface, and move forward with steadiness rather than panic.

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How I Came to This Work

My professional path wasn’t linear. It grew out of early exposure to people under pressure and the realisation that listening well, staying regulated, and understanding human behaviour can change outcomes.

I began with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminology in the 1990s, followed by frontline counselling experience as a Youthline phone counsellor in Wellington, New Zealand. That work shaped my decision to move into psychology and relationship counselling.

After relocating to Australia, I began clinical work in 2001 with the Salvation Army in Cabramatta, during a period of significant community impact from heroin use. Alongside colleagues, I helped establish FYRST – Fairfield Youth Recovery Support Team, building a service from the ground up for young people and families in crisis.

I later worked across several NSW Health services, including Drug Intervention Services Cabramatta, Kirketon Road Centre, and the Langton Centre therapy team.

These settings refined how I work today – calm under pressure, trauma-aware, and respectful of complexity.

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Training, Research, and Clinical Focus

Alongside practice, I completed an Honours degree in Psychology, with research examining intimate partner communication when living with cancer. This deepened my understanding of how illness, fear, and vulnerability affect relationships.

I later completed a Graduate Diploma in Systemic Couple Therapy with Relationships Australia while working there, strengthening my work with long-term relational patterns.

My advanced training includes:

• Imago Relationship Therapy and Workshop Presenter
• attachment-aware and trauma-informed psychology
• Master Resource Therapy Trainer
• Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR) – Level 3 trained practitioner
• EMDR Certified

I am also the President of Resource Therapy International, training therapists internationally in advanced trauma and parts-based work.

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How I Work With Clients

My approach is steady, structured, and emotionally safe.

I work carefully with:

• attachment injury and betrayal
• emotional overwhelm and shutdown
• repeating relational patterns
• moments of crisis or indecision

I don’t rush people toward outcomes. The focus is on regulation first, clarity second, and decisions only when people feel resourced enough to make them.

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A Personal Note

I’m a mother to an adult daughter, and my life has included the transitions many clients recognise – parenting, change, relocation, and the ongoing evolution of close relationships.

These experiences don’t replace training, but they do shape how I listen and pace the work.

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Chris Paulin

Clinical Psychologist, Marriage Works

Chris Paulin brings a grounded, thoughtful presence to Marriage Works and works with individuals, couples, and families facing relationship stress, conflict, and change.

He holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and has spent decades supporting people to find steadier footing during emotionally charged periods.

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Chris’s Clinical Style

Chris is known for helping people slow things down when conversations feel stuck, circular, or overwhelming.

His work focuses on:

• emotional regulation under stress
• practical insight into relationship dynamics
• restoring clarity when communication has broken down
• supporting people through periods of transition

Clients often describe Chris as calm, attentive, and able to hold difficult material without escalation or judgement.

Working Together at Marriage Works

Philipa and Chris work collaboratively, bringing complementary strengths rather than identical approaches.

As a married couple themselves, they understand the pressures long-term relationships face across different life stages – including parenting, stress, loss, and change. This perspective informs the work without becoming prescriptive or personal.

Their shared approach values:

• emotional safety over urgency
• understanding over blame
• structure without rigidity
• depth without overwhelm

Beginning Work at Marriage Works

Marriage Works offers:

• Private Reconnection Work for couples who still choose each other
• Individual Relationship Support when one partner is ready to begin
• Affair & Betrayal Recovery
• Last Resort Relationship Support during separation or withdrawal

Do we need to be married?

No, we work with all relationships!

Sessions are available in Sydney and online.

📞 Book a free 15-minute consultation
or call 0434 559 011

Philipa Thornton is an experienced and qualified Sydney Eastern Suburbs registered psychologist offering relationship counselling, and marriage and couple counselling.