Relationship counselling helps you to make the most of your relationships, past, present or future. Relate can help you even if you are not currently in a relationship.

Many people believe that Relate is only here to help with the major crises in people's relationships and we are often the first source of help when people face divorce, affairs or major conflict.

We can help if you are thinking about separating, whether you want to try to rebuild your relationship, to part amicably, or if you need support after a break up. But we are also here for the worries that might seem trivial or minor.

Do you keep having the same argument over and over again with no resolution?
We can help. Even if things are going perfectly for you, we can help keep things that way.

Relate counsellors provide a caring and supportive environment to help you find a way through any difficulties you may be facing.

Once you have made an appointment you will be seen by a trained professional who will ask some questions about you and your partner, your relationship and what you hope to get out of your contact with Relate.

It really depends what you want to get out of the counselling, but it is rare that you will leave Relate without feeling a positive change. For some people we transform their relationships and their lives. For others we help them solve a specific problem and move forward with more confidence and less anxiety.

Sex therapy can help if you are experiencing problems in your intimate relationship. Sexual problems can affect people of any age, gender, ethnicity or sexuality. Sex therapy can be used to treat a combination of physical and psychological issues including erectile problems, loss of desire, painful intercourse, problems achieving penetration, difficulties in your sex life due to illness, resuming sex after childbirth and the impact of childhood sexual abuse, amongst others.

Relate sex therapists are highly trained experts who will help you identify the cause of the issue and work with you to build a better and more satisfying sex life. You will be given a programme of tasks to do at home which you will talk over with your therapist at weekly or fortnightly sessions. The therapy will be individually tailored to you and will move at a pace you are comfortable with.

People often feel embarrassed at first, but once they get over the initial nervousness of talking frankly about their love lives, they are often amazed at how much progress they make and how well they get on with their therapist.

Sex therapy can be a long process and you will need to be committed, but it is incredibly rewarding. It will help you to rediscover the pleasure of an intimate, physical relationship.

If you have stopped having sex, the service can help you to have sex again - sometimes for the first time in years. It can also help you to understand and overcome a variety of physical and psychological issues which may be affecting your love life.

93% of couples surveyed after using this service said it had improved their sex lives.

Yes, if you are in an ongoing relationship, your partner will have to attend with you. However, if you are on your own, sex therapy can help you if you are thinking about the future and the effect any issues with sex may have on future relationships.

Family counselling can involve any members of the family - parents, children, brothers, sisters and grandparents - and can also help blended and extended families struggling with relationship issues. These issues could include problems with communication, different ideas for raising children, children and young people dealing with siblings, or the difficulties of bringing together a new family in a blended household.

Big changes in a family can cause problems for everyone, and divorce and separation do not just impact on the adult relationship. If your family is having problems, you can arrange for a variety of appointments - whether individual, in small groups or as a family unit - in order to work things out in a way that is best for everyone.

Every family member can expect to have a voice within the counselling session. The counsellor will encourage family members to talk about what they are thinking and how they are feeling before going on to work out any differences. Sometimes, the counsellor may ask specific members of the family to come to a session in order to work on individual issues.

Family counselling benefits the whole family by allowing everyone an equal platform to share their experience of family life. As a result, family counselling can help reduce conflict, meaning fewer rows at home and an increased capacity for dealing with tricky situations.

Young people's counselling is for any young person aged 10 or over who may be having problems. More and more young people are coming to Relate with issues such as depression and mental health problems, or issues with their parents or people at school. Coming to see a Relate counsellor helps because they are independent from school and home life.

You can expect to be helped by a supportive and non-judgmental counsellor either at a local Relate centre, or you might see a counsellor in school if your school offers a Relate service. The counsellor will help you to work out the best way forward, but will help you to explore and make your own decisions. What you say is confidential, unless the counsellor is worried for your safety.

Many of our young clients say that they feel happier and more able to deal with their problems having seen a Relate counsellor. In some cases, counselling has helped them to concentrate better in school, or improved relationships with their friends and family.