COUNSELLING

The role of our counselling programs is to help couples and families to find their own answers.

Counsellors do not make judgements on who is right or wrong, they don't tell clients what to do and they don't try to persuade people to stay married or together, if that is not what both individuals want.

• Counselling aims to help improve relationships.
• Address sexual concerns.
• Pre - parenthood relationship check - up.
• Dealing with the pain of when relationships change or end.

Relationship Help Online (NEW)

Chat privately and securely about family or relationship issues with an online counsellor from Relationships Australia.

Counselling aims to help improve relationships

• To help the couple understand the relationship they have.
• Discover why they chose each other in the first place.
• Find out what they wanted from their relationship and from each other.
• Understand how they contributed to whatever their relationship has become.
• Discuss what they feel about each other now.
• What they are prepared to do to make it work?

There is widespread agreement among researchers that counselling is effective in 60-70% of cases.

Sexual Concerns Service

Provides a quality specialist counselling service to individuals and couples who wish to address any of the following concerns: differences in levels of sexual desire, loss of sexual desire, painful intercourse, inability to achieve orgasm, erection difficulties or sexual functioning that has been affected by chronic illness, surgery, disability, the aging process, child sexual abuse, or general issues about sexuality. It also provides opportunities for sexual enhancement through learning new ideas and techniques.

Pre - Parenthood Relationship Check - Up Service

This service is available from your local Relationships Australia branch. It involves sessions with a counsellor to give your relationship a 'check-up' and discuss ways to strengthen it.

It involves the following resources to assist you:

• Relationship Questionnaire Common aspects of relationships are explored and this gives you an opportunity to explore how your relationship is going. We also have a shorter online relationship quiz to rate your own relationship.
• Relationship booklet to take home and read.
• Pre- Parenthood Relationship Seminar that helps you prepare your relationship for the demands of parenting and hear how others are responding to the same life event.

Helping deal with the pain of when relationships change or end

Counselling programs also help people who are separating and/or getting divorced, deal with their grief and anger and to let go, so that they can move on with a new sense of purpose and optimism. This includes looking at:

• How relationships change.
• How to bear with and manage the grief.
• What is the real value of anger.
• What real acceptance is and what it enables us to get.
• Discover a pathway for your separation.
• Learning to be "single".
• Being able to face moving on to a new and sustaining relationship.

Counselling and working through the problems of separation with someone who has no involvement or investment in the outcome can help people get through this difficult time.

Counselling helps approximately 20% of separated couples resume their relationships.

In reality many people live perfectly happy, fulfilled lives following a relationship breakdown. Many people choose to re-partner and many do not. There is no right way of being.

If you want to make an appointment with a counsellor please contact your local branch office of Relationships Australia.

FURTHER INFORMATION

This information is provided by Relationships Australia who are Australia's leading provider of professional services to support relationships. It is a not-for profit community based organisation. Our Mission: Relationships Australia is committed to enhancing the lives of communities, families and individuals by being the leading professional provider of quality relationship support services. Our Goals: To work in partnership with others to ensure a society which supports positive and respectful relationships; To serve a more diverse range of clients; To provide relevant services that meet the needs of clients; To adopt business practices that enable the delivery of efficient and effective services; To ensure a positive work environment that delivers outcomes for clients; and To be financially robust to achieve our goals.

You can contact Relationships Australia on 1300 364 277 to find your closest state branch.