Marcus Santer

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Couples Counselling Specialist (I only work with couples)
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

Dawlish, Devon, EX7 9AP
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

STOP 

Take a deep breath and listen very closely. 

You’re reading this page because your relationship is in trouble and there are two things you need to know before you go any further:

  1. I am truly sorry for you. The pain you are experiencing right now is profound.  A broken heart isn’t just a metaphor… It’s real. 
  2. The therapist you choose is critical to your future happiness and well being. I know it might be hard for you to think clearly right now because of the heartbreak you’re experiencing. But what you read next is *very* important. Working with couples in crisis is really hard. 

Before we go any further let me explain a little more why number two is so crucial to you and how you can get it right. 

Here goes...

...To get to this page you probably started with a search that led you to the Counselling Directory website…

…You clicked some boxes and entered some words…

…Then you were presented with pages and pages of counsellors claiming to work with relationship problems. 

And somehow you clicked on my profile. 

Let me tell you…

…You got lucky. 

I mean it. 

How come?

Because if you look at the areas of counselling offered by those other therapists, you’ll notice couples work is just one of a very long list of areas they claim to specialise in. 

"So what?" You might ask. 

Well, as a therapist who only works with couples, who’s chosen to specialise in this field and who’s invested massive amounts of time, money and energy gaining the skills to become a couples counsellor…

I find this situation offensive. Because you can’t possibly know how to do all of it. It’s a bit like asking your car mechanic to rewire your house. They might have a go but would you trust the safety and quality of their work?

Exactly. 

But enough about me, this is about you and helping you to choose the best therapist to help you and your partner get out of the pain you’re experiencing right now and gain the clarity required to help you move forwards. 

Whether you’re able to work with me or not, I hope you’ll take this lesson to heart:

Couples therapy is a challenging field of work. Don’t put your relationship in the hands of a ‘Jack Of All Trades’. Choose a specialist. 

Got that?

Good. 

Moving on

I grew up in one of those classic British marriages and I understand both personally and professionally the impact of that life on my parents and their children. I don’t want that for you and more importantly, I don’t want it for your children.

We can all do better and there are evidence-based solutions to your problems.

A teacher of mine once told me that:

“Marriage therapy is an incredibly difficult discipline to master. That’s why most therapists don’t specialise in it... And yet anyone not specialising is a dilettante. It is so hard to get right that if you’re not wholly focused on it you will never be very good.”

That’s why I only do marriage therapy, I’ve been doing it for years, it’s all I do. There’s a reason for that. If marriage was easy we wouldn’t have a 52% divorce rate. And if marriage therapy was easy we wouldn’t have a 52% divorce rate, seriously, I’m horrified by the approach lots of so-called marriage therapists take.

I specialise in working with couples in serious relationships experiencing serious problems, for example:

  • Affairs and betrayals
  • Separation and divorce
  • Lack of love and support
  • Sex and intimacy issues

And more.

I am a couples counsellor trained in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy.

Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT)?

You might not have heard of EFT so let me explain what makes EFT different to other relationship therapy models, here goes...

Research studies found that EFT is an effective treatment for distressed couples. More than 70 per cent of couples receiving EFT recover from symptoms of relationship distress; up to 90 per cent report seeing improvements in their relationship.

Over 25 years of research has documented EFT’s benefits to couples who are facing other challenges, including depression, sexual disorders, traumatic exposure, breast cancer and childhood illness.

EFT therapists are very proud of the research this model is built upon. We meet the gold standard from the American Psychological Association (AMA) perspective for evidence-based therapy.

Because of the science and research backing EFT, its therapists can lean heavily on it.  We have great outcomes - not just in terms of the percentage of couples who recover but who are happier, more satisfied - and we also know how to do the therapy session by session.

EFT is more than a clinically proven approach, it offers couples a new experience of their relationship, one that provides renewed trust and a deeper level of intimacy.

EFT works and is proven to be effective.

A lot of counsellors offer couples therapy without ever being trained, and most of what passes for couples therapy is offered without rigorous research behind it.

If you want the gold standard of couples counselling...

Congratulations, you've just found it.

Training, qualifications & experience

Couples Therapy is my life's work, it's all I do.

As well as being an EFT-trained couples therapist, I've also completed:

  • Level 1
  • Level 2

Training with The Gottman Institute.

I'm also experienced in using Terry Real's Relational Life Therapy (RLT) especially for working with couples recovering from the disclosure of infidelity.

And I'm a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

Long story short...

...Yes, I'm qualified and yes, I can help you.

Member organisations

BACP
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP)

BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred).

Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).

Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision.

Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training.

All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.

Accredited register membership

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
Accredited Register Scheme

The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).

This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy

Photos & videos

Fees

£100.00 - £150.00

Additional information

Please visit the services page on my website for full details of availability and fees for my work:

https://southdevoncouplestherapy.com/services/

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

For everyone's convenience, I use scheduling software, so you can choose a session time that works best for you.  Full details here:

https://southdevoncouplestherapy.com/services/

Further information

I'm not one of those 'Jack of all trades' counsellers...

I'm a specialist and I'm constantly improving my couples therapy skills.

I only work with couples and I only practice couples counselling.

The Manor House, Old Town Street, Dawlish, Devon, EX7 9AP

Type of session

In person
Online

Types of client

Couples

Key details

DBS check

In England and Wales, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS, formerly known as CRB) carry out criminal records checks for individuals working with vulnerable groups, such as children. To find out more, visit gov.uk , or contact this professional directly

Wheelchair user access
Wheelchair user access

Wheelchair-accessible premises should have step-free access for wheelchair users and individuals who are unable to climb stairs. If a Counsellor's premises aren't step-free, they may offer alternative services such as telephone/web-based appointments, home visits, or meeting clients in different location, so you can choose the option that suits you best.

You can contact the Counsellor to discuss the options available.

Under the Equality Act 2010 service providers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that individuals with disabilities can access their service. You can read more about reasonable adjustments to help you to access services on the CAB website.

There is a lift available for the use of those who want it.

Online platforms

Zoom

Social

Marcus Santer
Marcus Santer