Bromley Centre
020 8315 1999

Misconceptions about Relate

Why do we always put things off until it’s too late? We avoid visiting the dentist until we have a toothache, leave getting a haircut until you can’t see past your fringe and forget to call the plumber about that leak until the pipe bursts. 

Some things are far too important to put off until tomorrow. Your relationship should be one of those matters, but sadly many people are missing out on valuable help from Relate because they’re put off by a number of misconceptions about the way we work. 

Dispelling the Myths: 

  • The most common misconception is that we only provide our service to married couples. Although many years ago we were known as the Marriage Guidance Council, as the nature of families and relationships has changed and evolved with time, so have we. Our services are open to anyone, regardless of marital status, age or sexuality. In fact, you don’t even have to be in a current relationship to seek our support as we also offer counselling to those who have difficulty forming new relationships and those dealing with separation or divorce.
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  • Many people also assume they must be at crisis point before they can ask Relate for help. In fact, it’s always better to tackle the problem as soon as it arises. Relate’s guidance can be especially useful for couples that have no specific problem but are facing a life change and feel that some guidance would help them to deal with their new circumstances. We can offer support for those who are about to enter the commitment of marriage or facing initial incompatibilities after deciding to move in together. We’re not just here to help you through the dark times but to help you make the bright times last.
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  • Another common misconception is that you will have to wait weeks or even months for an appointment at Relate. The recruitment of new counsellors at Relate Bromley has meant that we’ve been able to offer many initial appointments almost as soon as we receive a call.
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  • There are also a number of misconceptions around the way Relate works. Our counsellors are completely impartial and will help you to work through your issues together to find the best way forward. Counselling will move at your own pace and, once given, your ongoing slot will be yours for as many weeks as you need it. Your counsellor will never allow blame to be pointed in any direction and will help you to reach your own solutions rather than tell you what to do. You are always in control of your counselling.
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  • Alongside couple counselling we also offer Sex Therapy for couples where the relationship is good but there is a specific sexual difficulty. Where the problem affects other family members, our Family Counselling service can be helpful for improving communication and identifying patterns of relationships.
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  • We receive no statutory funding and rely on payment for the services we provide.

If you’re still unsure whether Relate counselling is for you, why not give us a call and ask us for more information?

 

© Relate Bromley

 Page last updated: 8th February 2007