Vivian Baruch – Relationship Coach, Counsellor, accredited Sex Therapist & Clinical Supervisor

I am a relationship coach, relationship counsellor, relationship therapist, and accredited sex therapist. My specialty is relationship issues for singles and couples. I have worked with heterosexual as well as LGBTQI+ people for decades and am competent in working with many sex and sexuality issues in psychotherapy. You can read more about what I do as a psychotherapist as well as scroll down this page to see my qualifications.

My greatest passion is helping individuals and couples to create healthy, successful relationships. Since 1981 I have provided relationship coaching, counselling and couples therapy to people who have struggled with painful relationship issues. I’m a specialized and expertly trained couples therapist working for your best interests.

Feedback Informed treatment

The most important thing you need to know about me is that for 20 years I’ve been using an evidence-based practice called Feedback Informed Treatment (FIT). I work a little differently than other therapists. If our sessions are going to be helpful, you should see signs usually within the first 3 or 4 visits. If our work helps, you can continue as long as you like. If our work is not helpful, I’ll seek consultation at session 3 or 4 and consider a referral within no later than 8 to 10 sessions.

I seek your feedback at the beginning and at the end of every session regarding our working relationship and the outcome of our work. Then I use the information you give me to inform and tailor my service to you. Watch my mentor and coach Scott D. Miller explain FIT in under 5 minutes. FIT is an evidence based treatment, which means it’s an empirically supported way to evaluate and improve the quality and effectiveness of my work with you.

As Scott D. Miller says: “I’m not interested in psychotherapy as an enterprise. I’m interested in doing whatever it takes to engage people, in helping people help themselves to lead healthier, more functional, happier lives.” Scott is the founder of The International Center for Clinical Excellence (ICCE) & is also my coach in refining my application of Feedback Informed Treatment (FIT) & Deliberate Practice (DP). Here is a 6 minute video of Scott explaining DP.

I know that relationships are challenging

Even though relationships are challenging, I believe in, and have witnessed, huge growth in the individuals and couples I’ve worked with. At Successful Relationships, my husband Simon Mundy and I focus on helping people achieve real happiness so you can thrive, build stronger families and become caring role models for your children and your communities. Using a “nuts and bolts” approach based on 50 years of research on what actually makes couples happy, premature and unnecessary separation can be prevented.

It has been my privilege to witness the transformations of many clients as they break their destructive patterns to form relationships that are based on honesty, respect, integrity and trust. As a relationship coach I can teach you evidence-based skills to help regain true intimacy, fun and passion in your relationship.

I have many ways to help you

I know many ways to help resolve conflict and negotiate solutions that satisfy both you and your partner. Over the forty years I’ve been in practice I’ve been able to help thousands of couples regain closeness.

Communication breakdowns, growing apart, intimacy issues, sexual desire and infidelity are the most frequent issues that couples come to see me about. You don’t have to struggle alone to cope with your relationship issues. At Successful Relationships we help you solve your current problems as well as giving you a set of skills and tools that will last a lifetime. As a relationship counsellor, relationship therapist, relationship coach and accredited sex therapist I have many skills & tools to help you find solutions to your problems.

As a supervisor, my aim is to help you develop your own unique perspectives and approaches in your clinical and professional work, to enhance the service you provide for your clients as well as your personal wellbeing.

In my role as relationship coach, I provide relationship counselling; couples/marriage counselling for heterosexual, queer and non-binary couples; relationship coaching; sex therapy and clinical supervision online and service the following areas: Penrith, Glenbrook, Blaxland, Springwood, Faulconbridge, Hazelbrook, Lawson, Wentworth Falls, Leura, Katoomba, Blackheath, Mt. Victoria, NSW. I also conduct private couples intensive retreats in Faulconbridge & Sydney CBD, NSW.

In my work, my goal is to eventually become redundant by helping you develop the skills to behave in line with your personal values so you can effectively cope with life’s challenges. My greatest happiness is to hear you say “Thank you, you’ve helped a lot. I now know that I can do this on my own. I’ll call you if I need a top-up session.”

What Makes a Good Psychotherapist?

If you’re curious about this question, you may enjoy watching my 43 minute interview by Daniel Mintie. As he aptly says: ” Spoiler alert! Decades of meta-analyses say the answer is neither “the type of therapy” nor “years of experience.” In the video we discuss what the data suggests distinguishes “super therapists” from their colleagues.

Professional Associations

Certified FIT Practitioner (CFP) with the International Center for Clinical Excellence (ICCE)

Clinical Register Member & Registered Supervisor – Psychotherapists and Counsellors Federation of Australia (PACFA No. 20198)

Accredited Professional Sex Therapist – Australian Society of Sex Educators, Researchers & Therapists (ASSERT No. 121)

Verified Member – Good Therapy Australia (Good Therapy Australia)

  

Psychotherapy Qualifications

Level 1 Professional Training in Mind-Body Medicine – Integrating mind-body medicine into clinical practice, medical education & trauma healing. The Center for Mind-Body Medicine. Trainers – Dr. James Gordon MD, Amy Shinal MSW, Kathleen Farah MD, Linda Richtsmeier Cyr PhD .

Internal Family Systems Level 1 Training – Centre for Self Leadership. Trainers – Dr. Dick Schwartz, Pamela Krause, Toni Herbine-Blank.

Relational Life Institute Level 1 Training – Relational Life Institute. Trainer – Terry Real.

Assessing and Treating Sex Issues in Psychotherapy – Institute for Relational Intimacy. Trainer – Martha Kauppi.

Gottman Method Couples Therapy Levels 1 & 2 – devised by Dr. John Gottman & Dr. Julie Gottman

Rekindling Desire – Dr. Esther Perel webinar

Sex Made Simple – Dr. Barry McCarthy webinar

Webinar trainings (4 in total) in couples work with Dr. Terry Real and Dr. Esther Perel.

Webinar trainings (6 in total) in sex therapy with Dr. Marty Klein.

Webinar trainings (3 in total) in sex therapy with Dr. Tammy Nelson and Dr. Joe Kort.

Advanced Level in The Developmental Model of Couples Therapy with Dr. Ellyn Bader & Dr. Peter Pearson.

Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy (PACT) Level 1 – taught by by Dr. Stan Tatkin

Master of Counselling, University of Western Sydney.

Certificate of Integral Psychotherapy, Integral Institute – Colorado, USA. Trainers – Ken Wilber,  Willow Pearson, Dr. Elliott Ingersoll, Dr. Jeff Soulen, Bert Parlee & Dr. Susanne Cook-Greuter.

Graduate Diploma Emotionally Focused Therapy, Institute for Emotionally Focused Therapy, Sydney. Trainer –  Michelle Webster on association with Dr. Leslie Greenberg.

Bachelor of Arts degree, University of NSW, (Sociology and History).

Coaching & Teaching Qualifications

Healthy Minds at Work MasterClass – Healthy Minds Innovations. Trainers Dr. Richard Davidson, Dr. Cortland Dahl, Stephanie Wagner.

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction – MBSR Palouse Mindfulness. Trainer Dave Potter.

Certificate to Teach Cultivating Emotional Balance, Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies Cultivating Emotional Balance Teacher Training. Trainers Dr. B. Alan Wallace, Dr. Paul Ekman & Dr. Eve Ekman.

Educator at University of Canberra (UC), Canberra, 2008-2009.

Educator at Australian College of Applied Psychology (ACAP), Sydney, 2005-2011.

Graduate Certificate Coaching Skills for Psychotherapists, Jansen Newman Institute, Sydney.

Supervision Qualifications

Reigniting Clinical Supervision – Certificate of Completion taught by Dr. Daryl Chow.

PACFA Accredited supervisor & Clinical Member PACFA (Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia).

Graduate Certificate Professional Supervision, University of Canberra, Canberra.

Attend regular supervision as required by PACFA Code of Ethics (Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia).

Certificate Supervision Training for Practicing Counsellors and Psychotherapists, Australian College of Applied Psychology.

Integral Supervision – conference call trainings, Integral Institute, USA. Trainers were: Willow Pearson, Dr. Elliott Ingersoll, Dr. Jeff Soulen, Dr. Susanne Cook-Greuter.

Certificate of Attendance in Emotionally Focused Supervision, Institute for Emotionally Focused Therapy.

Therapeutic approaches within the integral framework I use include:

• Psychodynamic
• Humanistic/Gestalt/Experiential
• Cognitive-behavioral (CBT)
• Somatic
• Existential/Transpersonal
• Trauma-informed treatment

As a relationship counsellor, relationship therapist, relationship coach, accredited sex therapist, I also have training in Jungian therapy, Psychosynthesis, stress management using yoga and meditation, and in the psychotherapeutic principles of Buddhism & Stoicism.

Employment History

From 1981-1986 I was employed by the Department of Health as a naturopath/counsellor/crisis and group worker, working in a women’s refuge and in Leichhardt Women’s Community Health Centre. Since 1987 I have been in private practice as an individual and relationship coach,  counsellor & therapist, as well as being committed to my own personal development through continuing studies, personal work and applying an integral approach to my own self-care.

For inquiries about how I may be able to help you, Call 0421 961 687 or email us to schedule an appointment. International callers should call +61 421 961 687.

You deserve the best trained relationship counsellor, relationship therapist, relationship coach, and accredited sex therapist if you’re planning to invest time and money in your relationship. If you’re not ready to book an appointment, call us on 0421 961 687 to book a FREE 15 minute phone consultation to discuss how we may be able to assist you. For clinical supervision enquiries, call 0421 961 687 to book a FREE 15 minute phone call to see whether I may be a good fit for you.

Vivian Baruch provides relationship counselling, marriage counselling, relationship coaching and sex therapy online and services the following areas: Penrith, Glenbrook, Blaxland, Springwood, Faulconbridge, Hazelbrook, Lawson, Wentworth Falls, Leura, Katoomba, Blackheath, Mt. Victoria, NSW. She also conducts couples intensive retreats in Faulconbridge & Sydney CBD, NSW.