About Annie

Relationships can carry us through life’s greatest joys — and its deepest storms. Over time, stress, grief, loss, parenting, work, health challenges, and everyday pressures can quietly erode the sense of closeness that once felt effortless.

Hi, my name is Annie Poloni (she/her) and I am a relationship therapist working from Melbourne, Australia. Growing up in a small country town, I learned early on that while you can be physically close to someone, that doesn’t always translate to emotional closeness. Flash forward 25 years, with a Degree in Psychology and a Masters in Counselling, living and working in London and a senior career in Human Resources, this little country bumpkin has learned that relationships with oneself and others takes work, thought and compassion.

At Harbourlight Relationship Therapy, I provide a calm, thoughtful and compassionate space where you and/or your special person can slow down, understand the patterns that keep you stuck, and rediscover safety and connection.

Qualifications & Affiliations

  • Professional Level 2 registered Counsellor  with the Australian Counselling Association

  • Master of Counselling (Couple Counselling), Swinburne University

  • Postgraduate Diploma Human Resource Management, Monash University

  • Bachelor of Arts (Psychology), Monash University

  • Member of the Melbourne Community for Emotionally Focused Therapy

I am committed to ongoing professional development and supervision to ensure that my work remains thoughtful, ethical, and grounded in current therapeutic research.

Clients often come to therapy feeling stuck in patterns such as:

  • Repeating the same arguments without resolution

  • Feeling unheard, unseen, or emotionally alone

  • Difficulty communicating without conflict escalating

  • Distance or disconnection in the relationship, feeling like housemates

  • Navigating trust injuries or significant relationship transitions

Through therapy, we work together to understand these patterns and create new ways of responding that foster closeness and security.

My Approach

My work is grounded in attachment theory, which understands that our deepest emotional needs are tied to connection and belonging. When we feel secure in our relationships, we are better able to navigate life’s stresses and challenges. When that sense of security is disrupted, we can find ourselves reacting in ways that create distance rather than connection.

In therapy, we slow down these moments together so we can understand what is happening beneath the surface of conflict or disconnection. Often, the arguments couples get stuck in are not really about the issue at hand, but about deeper emotional needs for reassurance, safety, and responsiveness.

I am trained in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT), an evidence-based approach that helps couples move out of negative cycles of interaction and build stronger emotional bonds.

For individuals, this same attachment-based lens can help uncover how past experiences and relationship patterns influence the way we connect with others today..

Get in touch

Interested in working together? Fill out some info and I will be in touch shortly. I look forward to hearing from you!