My name is Gayle Creasey and I offer Discernment Counselling in person in Maidenhead or online on Zoom.

What is Discernment Counselling:

Dr Bill Docherty, an American couples therapist, developed this specialist service for couples “who are on the brink” where one or both of you are not sure if you want to save your relationship.

This is a particularly difficult and confusing situation and as such demands the right kind of focus and support from a therapist so that a decision can be made.

I have completed Dr Docherty’s training and I am able to support you if you are at this point in your relationship.

How does it work:

The initial commitment is for both of you to attend a 2-hour first session. If a decision hasn’t been reached regarding how to move forward during this session, each person decides separately if they would like one more session. You can attend a maximum of five sessions.

The goal of each session is for you to find clarity and confidence about the next step for your relationship. This is based on a deeper understanding of what has happened and each person’s contributions to the problems.

The outcomes for the session(s) are framed in terms of three pathways:

1. Stay married as is
2. Move towards divorce
3. Or decide to do couples therapy for six months to see if the marriage can be put into a good place. With a clear agenda for personal change and with divorce off the table during this time.

Session structure:

Each session begins and ends with a brief period when all three of us meet together. The rest of the session I work with each of you separately.

During your individual time, I will support you to explore how you feel about your relationship. The goal of your individual time with me is for you to reach a decision. Either to have one last try to heal and restore the relationship or for you to find confidence to end the relationship.

Discernment counselling is very short-term work. It comes to an end when you reach a decision. At this point, I can either support you with couples counselling or support you onto planning your lives living separately.

Everything discussed is strictly confidential and handled with warmth, care and sensitivity.

I offer daytime and evening sessions Mondays to Thursdays between 9am- 7pm.

Contacting Me

You are welcome to call me on 0794 1279177 to have a chat and ‘get a feel for me’.  I can tell you more about how I work and practical things like my availability and cost. You can then decide if you and your partner would like to book an initial session.

Or click here if you would prefer to contact me by email

“Discernment counselling is a protocol which protects the couple from drifting into half-hearted couples therapy, a premature divorce or a divorce that leaves one partner baffled on what exactly happened. Divorce is not a failure in Discernment Counselling. Not learning anything that can help in a future marriage is a failure.”

Dr Bill Docherty