Dealing with relationship problems
If you are having problems in your relationship, acting early and seeking counselling may help prevent it breaking down. If the relationship is definitely over, mediation can help make the split less painful and less damaging for all concerned.
Counselling
A counsellor can help you discuss emotive issues and will help couples that want to save their relationship.
Counsellors are professionally trained, though some offer their services voluntarily. They are trained to listen and to help you to work out your own solutions to relationship problems. They don’t negotiate for you or tell you what to do.
Family support is counselling that can help the whole family deal with problems and prevent relationships breaking down and families splitting up.
Tackling problems early is important to save a relationship. The longer a problem is left unresolved, the harder it usually is to deal with it.
Counselling can also help a family to accept what is happening to them and to deal with the emotional stress that separation or divorce can cause within a family.
Attempting to work things out through counselling or mediation could lead to better family decisions and long-term relationships after the divorce.
Search for counselling and other family support services in your local area:
Relate NI
Relate NI provides counselling services for individuals, couples, families, children and young people.
Funding is available for any individual, couple or family that has or is a young person under 18.
The funding for this is provided by the Department of Health and allows up to 10 counselling sessions, at sites across NI.
You can be referred to this free service by your GP, social worker or other appointed health or social care professional.
Parentline NI
Parentline NI is a free service and freephone number which provides advice, support and guidance to parents, carers and family members.
Calls to Parentline NI are answered by qualified and experienced staff. The team is selected for having qualities that include good listening skills, empathy and commitment to putting children and families first.
Staff receive specialist training including child protection, domestic violence, substance abuse and mental health issues.
Parentline NI offers support on all types of family problems. These range from coping with crying babies, through to dealing with behaviour problems, bullying, drugs, the effect of separation and divorce, a child's sexuality or abuse.
You can call as many times as you need and likewise staff might agree a call back to make sure you’ve been able to progress your situation and offer further support if required.
Mediation
You can negotiate directly with your partner and reach agreement without any outside help about issues such as your children’s care and splitting property and finance. That is usually the best way. You may not be able to reach agreement on everything, but it can still help to make issues easier to resolve even if you go to court.
Mediation can be used when you have decided to go ahead with a divorce, dissolution or separation by helping you to work out solutions in ways that reduce confrontation.
Couples who have separated but have not yet begun Court proceedings, are eligible for free family mediation sessions.
This service is delivered by Family Mediation NI and funded by the Department of Health.