Is this site for me?

thecoupleconnection.net - is this site for me?

thecoupleconnection.net is for anyone who wants to:

• get back to how things used to be with their partner
• work through personal issues and how they affect your relationship so you can make it better

thecoupleconnection.net is a do-it-yourself resource which allows you and your partner to work things out for yourselves. There is a wide range of resources on the site – and if you need more, the talk it out team will be around at times to give you a bit of extra help.

To get the most out of thecoupleconnection.net - you must want to improve your relationship. That means asking yourself some questions:

• Do you still feel some affection for your partner?
• Do you respect your partner as an individual?
• Are you committed to working things out together?
• Are you prepared to accept responsibility for your part in creating difficulties or problems?
• Are you prepared to compromise?
• Are you prepared to act together on issues that arise?
• Are you prepared to make changes in yourself?

thecoupleconnection.net recognises the diversity of family structures and we use the words ‘couple’ and ‘parents’ as a generic terms which include mothers, fathers, same sex parents, non-resident parents, foster parents, grandparents and others in a parental role. Whilst we recognise that much of the material on the site will be of most interest to those who are currently in a couple relationship – some of the material will be of value to those who are in between relationships and wish to gain a greater understanding about experience of relationships.

Warning!
thecoupleconnection.net may be hard for you to use if you are feeling overwhelmed, sad, angry or hurt. Take care to follow advice on the site on when to use the different resources, and when not to. The do-it-yourself approach means you must take care to take care of yourself.

When is thecoupleconnection.net not for me?

As a do-it-yourself site thecoupleconnection.net cannot offer you the personal care and support you would get from a counsellor or therapist on a one-to- one basis. But if that is what you are looking for go to you may wish to use the links below:

The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy has guidance on how to find a reputable counsellor in your area.:

Website: www.bacp.co.uk

Relate and Marriage Care also offer counselling services:

Website: www.relate.org.uk
Website: Marriage Care

Concerned about an abusive relationship in your family?

If your partner is violent or abusive to you or to your children or if you suspect that someone you know is in an abusive relationship then you need to know where to turn for help - domestic violence is a complex issue but recognizing the warning signs and symptoms of an abusive relationship is the first step to breaking free. Remember domestic abuse is not just physical abuse it can include emotional, sexual, and economic abuse as well; so if you are worried about your partner’s (or your own behaviour) there are several specialist organizations that you could contact for help or advice or to find out about local services in your area.

If you are a women worried about domestic violence

Women's Aid is the national domestic violence charity that helps an average of over 250,000 women and children every year. They work to end violence against women and children, and support over 500 domestic and sexual violence services across the country.

Website: www.womensaid.org.uk
CALL them: 0808 2000 247
EMAIL them: helpline@womensaid.org.uk

If you are worried about the impact of domestic violence on your children
Children are often more aware of problems than their parents realise but they don’t always understand what is happening and why, so sometimes it can help if they have information that is more age appropriate. The Hideout is a website that has been created by Women’s Aid. It provides help, information and support for children and young people – whether they are currently living with violence, or have experienced violence in the past. The site includes lots of age specific information to explain what domestic violence is, how it affects children and where they can go for more help. Children can’t contact the hideout directly by email or phone but the site has clear links to recommended national helplines such as NSPCC and Childline

Website: www.thehideout.org.uk

If you are a man worried about domestic violence
The Mankind Initiative have a website and telephone helpline with trained staff who are available each day from Monday to Friday: 10am to 4pm and 7pm to 9pm (except Friday evening).Their aim is to give men an opportunity to talk about their experiences, give emotional support and be provided with information concerning male victims of domestic abuse.

The help-line also offers a referral service and works with refuges and others in the field to support male victims. All callers remain anonymous and details are not shared with any other organisation, unless consent is given. The help-line does not discriminate against anyone because of their gender, sexuality, age or race.

Website: www.mankind.org.uk
CALL them: 01823 334244

If you are worried about your behaviour towards your partner, looking for help for a friend, relative or partner or if you have been abusive or violent, you can get information from RESPECT. RESPECT is the UK association of domestic violence perpetrator programmes and associated support services for women. Not every area in the UK has a perpetrator programme but their phone line can provide you with details of the programme nearest to you.

Website: www.respect.uk.net
CALL them: 0845 122 8609
EMAIL them: phoneline@respect.uk.net
TEXT them: 07624 818 326