relationship institute australasia (ria)

Relationship Institute Australasia is the brainchild of Trish Purnell-Webb and John Flanagan. We first met in 2005 when we were asked to co-facilitate a lifestyle management program with a group of Vietnam veterans. During the program, we discovered that we shared an interest in helping people live more satisfying, fulfilled and enjoyable lives. Over several years of working together and refining our thinking and knowledge about what works and what doesnt work in helping couples, we conceived the idea of Relationship Institute Australasia. Since meeting in 2005 we have been honing our skills, and adding to our theoretical knowledge and clinical skills through formal training and reflective practice. Finally, we launched RIA in September 2012. Our guiding principle, is to utilise sound, evidenced-based approaches to help people build, repair and rejuvenate strong, sustainable relationships. We are also committed to developing and training relationship therapists across Australia, NZ, and Asia. Expanding the network of expert therapists will assist us to reach as many people in as many communities as possible. Together, we have more than 60 years of career experience in the fields of community engagement, organisational development, group process, clinical practice, relationship counselling, life coaching and professional training. In addition, we have more than 40 years experience of being in intimate relationships with our own spouses Mark and Tracy. We can help by providing couple counselling in person; via Skype or FaceTime; or through one of our range of workshops. Based on the work of world renowned couples researchers and therapists, including John and Julie Gottman, Susan Johnson, Dan Wile and others, we provide a straightforward framework in which any couple can learn tools and exercises to renew, repair, rebuild and rejuvenate their relationship.