Get Help Sooner campaign

Relate Exeter and District urges people to get help sooner for their relationships. Research shows people waiting over two years before seeking expert help

Relationship charity, Relate Exeter and District is urging people to get help sooner for their relationships after findings released today reveal that 44% of people, who called the charity’s national helpline, had waited over two years to get help.

In a further survey Relate Exeter and District found that:

32% of respondents living in the south west of England believe there is a stigma attached to getting help with your relationship.
And 34% of respondents living in the south west of England would feel ashamed or nervous of admitting to friends or family that they had sought expert counselling.

The charity has launched a campaign, Heart to Heart, backed by some of the nation’s leading agony aunts and uncles, to encourage people to get help for their relationship sooner rather than later, if things aren’t going right.

Relate Exeter and District knows that couples have their ups and downs, but believe it’s crucial that people recognise when problems are serious and not just a difficult patch. The charity is encouraging people to start thinking about their relationship, talking to each other and taking action if they see signs of problems.

Relate Exeter and District recognises that whilst many of us wouldn’t hesitate to seek help for a medical problem, we often hold back when it comes to getting support for our relationships because of the stigma surrounding relationship support. But relationships are precious and worth working at.

Paula Hall , counsellor with Relate, commented: “Seeking counselling does not mean you’re a failure, on the contrary, it shows you take your relationship seriously and you’re willing to do whatever you can to resolve your difficulties. Some people see going for counselling as a sign of weakness but in reality it takes strength and courage to stand up to others prejudiced views and get the help your relationship deserves.”

Author Roopa Farooki and her husband didn’t hesitate to seek help through counselling. She says, “When we had problems, we sought help straight away. Relationships need to be nurtured in order to thrive. We've been together for seventeen years now and we still have to work hard at our relationship, but we reap the rewards every day.”

To help couples understand how healthy their relationships are, the charity has developed an online health check at www.relate.org.uk/hearttoheart. Couples will also find an online video offering five simple top tips to keep relationships healthy.

Paula Hall, continues: “It’s important to note that it’s never too late to get help for your relationship. The sooner people come to Relate, the sooner you can sort out your problems. Don’t bury your head in the sand and get help if things aren’t right.”

The Heart to Heart campaign is backed by many of the nation’s Agony Aunts and Uncles including Bel Mooney, Philip Hodson, Jane O’Gorman and Susan Quilliam. Agony Aunt

Tracey Cox, says: “If you work things through together, it removes all the finger-pointing, guilt and blame that can cause a small problem to escalate quickly into a massive one. And the quicker you seek help, the less damage caused to the relationship and the easier it is to solve.”