His clients get so lonely that they make a move on him. And it's not just the women.

Mr John Vasavan deals with warring couples and unfaithful spouses. His job is to help salvage marriages which are on the rocks.

And he knows a thing or two about why spouses stray, and what to do to avoid being trapped in an illicit affair.

Says the 52-year-old, who has worked as a marriage counsellor for the past two decades: "Sometimes, they stalk us through e-mail, asking to meet up, asking us to come over to their place..."

Happily married for about 20 years himself, he is very cautious about clients who get "touchy" during counselling sessions.

In such cases, he usually makes sure they are properly attired before offering a comforting pat on the back.

He explains: "Some women come for counselling scantily clad. So I make sure to pass them a blanket or jacket before any physical contact happens.

"I also always sit facing the door or window, so that people can see us. You must learn to protect yourself, you know," says the father of three, aged 15 to 19.

Before setting up his own practice a decade ago, Mr Vasavan enrolled for counselling courses and took on cases as a volunteer at the Singapore Planned Parenthood Association.

He went on to pursue a Masters in Counselling at the University of South Australia.

After 20 years of helping couples through tough times, he declares that the number one reason for marriages running into problems is not enough talk.

Wives, for instance, can get so caught up with their kids, they stop communicating properly with their husbands.

And when the children grow up and the women want to reconnect, it may be too late - the husband has already become engrossed in other activities.

But the question remains: Why do people cheat on their spouses?