Message from LifeWorks' CEO, Kaye Swanton

In offering our services to you, we have challenged ourselves to understand the core reasons people come to seek out our services. Whether its the joy of relationship formation, a pending marriage or relationship commitment of some kind; the effort of maintaining or reconciling differences in existing relationships threatening to drift apart; or the sadness and hurt of relationship break-down, we believe clients come to us with a hope that things can be different, better, even happy and fulfilling in the future.

Emotional obstacles are not easily faced alone. Nor are our capacities to deal with emotional difficulties necessarily innate. Sometimes, even when love is present, we simply lack the skills to navigate the vulnerabilities of two or more people trying to relate in considerate, respectful and intimate ways. In our otherwise busy lives, there is much to get in the way: a lack of self confidence or self-esteem; insufficient beginnings that make human connection a risk; and, at worst, traumatic beginnings that create generational cycles of violence and abuse because that’s what seems ‘normal’; where choices for ourselves seem limited and we end up in the same unsatisfactory patterns of relating.

The service offerings described and detailed on this website reflect our efforts to offer considerable knowledge and expertise to members of the general public who, from time-to-time, recognise their struggles and want to make some different choices for themselves, who recognise that building an emotional skill set, or resilience, is essential to keeping hope alive.

Equally, when things fail, it is our belief that people should be able to work their way through difficulties without the emotional and financial burden that, for too long, has been associated with separation and the ongoing care of children. Our family dispute and conflict resolution services are offered in this spirit. They are offered with a full understanding that, where children are involved, these relationships go on well after separation.

The human psyche can be a fragile instrument. Our emotional intelligence and interpersonal capacities can be limited along with our capacity for personal insight and self-reflection. With the kind of care and support offered through LifeWorks’ services though there can again be a delight in life’s possibilities, in the simple joy of one’s own existence and exploring, creatively, the ways in which we connect and love. There can again be the hope of human connection and loving relationships.

Every child and person is entitled to this hope and this is our endeavour in offering our services to you.

Kaye Swanton
Chief Executive Officer
LifeWorks Relationship Counselling and Education Services