To all our very special volunteers, past, present and future, thank you all. We wouldn’t be able to do what we do, without you!

One of the greatest gifts you can give, is your time.

Anon

by Hayley Watson

The Relate Bradford Team would like to use our 70+ years’ experience of Relationship Counselling to support families in Leeds (remotely- video/telephone) using the Aviva Community Fund.

https://www.avivacommunityfund.co.uk/covid-counselling

• Leeds families do not have access to fully funded/’free’ Relationship/Family Counselling as there has been no Relate branch in Leeds since 2018
• Nobody should suffer because they can’t afford to get help
• This project will offer a service which is accessible to some of the most vulnerable in our society
• This project will tackle mental health inequality 
• Family relationships are under more pressure than ever e.g. job losses, school closures and confinement
• People are having more arguments
• Parents are struggling to support their children and deal with challenging behaviours
• Our highly trained (BACP approved) counsellors will help couples and families to build and nurture stronger family relationships, improve family functioning, reduce harmful behaviours and reduce the likelihood of family breakdown 
• Let’s remove the financial barrier to help 
• Let’s improve the mental health and wellbeing of families when they need us the most

Kindness…

We love the theme of ‘kindness’ for Mental Health Awareness Week 2020, as for us at Relate Bradford, it is one of our core guiding principles; kindness to one another and kindness to those we are fortunate to work with and support. #KindnessMatters

“A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees”

Amelia Earhart

Tina, CEO of Relate Bradford posted a message on Saturday, to let everyone know that we are #StillHereToHelp, during COVID-19.

Coronavirus relationship advice as Relate Bradford moves counselling services to telephone and video call.

Counsellors at Relate, the leading relationships charity in England and Wales, have responded to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak by putting together advice for maintaining healthy relationships during social distancing and self-isolation. The tips, which are available in full on Relate’s national website, cover topics such as how to stay connected, avoid falling out with your partner and family members, and how to talk to your children about the virus and reduce anxiety.

Relate Bradford has suspended its face-to-face services in response to the pandemic. However, to enable them to continue to support the community’s relationships, the charity has increased its capacity to deliver counselling via telephone and webcam.

Tabitha, Therapist at Relate Bradford said:

“The coronavirus pandemic is changing things for all of us on an individual and societal level. Some people are being thrown into being together 24-7 after previously having quite busy very separate lives this can bring new intensities and difficulties.

Others are separated from their loved ones and may not have physical connection with partners, family or anyone for months.

For some people lockdown is providing an opportunity to slow down, and for others, such as key workers and those working remotely, work stress has ramped up the pressures people are facing.

Anxiety affects everyone, and their relationships, in different ways. Relate Bradford’s Counsellors and Psycho-sexual Therapists are still here to help. People can self-refer, and receive tips on our website: https://relatebradford.org/“

The tips are available in full on Relate’s National’s website and include :

–       If you are self-isolating at home you may feel disconnected from others. Make use of social media, text, instant messaging, phone and video messaging as ways of keeping connected.

–       Your routines and roles may change if one or both of you are working from home. This could be a challenge or an opportunity so try to make it work for you by checking in regularly about how this is going.

–       You may need to get creative with the space if you are both working from home. Take turns to share the most comfortable spot.

–       Stick to facts when talking to children and communicate with them calmly, consciously and responsibly, using simple language.

–       Try to avoid using catastrophising language. Brushing things under the carpet can also increase anxiety so aim to strike a balance.

–       If somebody says or does something to upset you, try counting to ten and taking some deep breaths. It may be that you no longer feel the need to ‘react.’

Visit http://relate.org.uk to find out more about their digital services and access a range of information and self-help.

Services available to you

Through the Bank Workers Charity, you may be eligible to free counselling at Relate Bradford, providing a range of relationship counselling services for individuals and couples, including family counselling, counselling for children and young people.

Face-to-face counselling is currently unavailable due to COVID-19.

Webcam counselling – work with a qualified counsellor via web camera.

Telephone counselling – work with a qualified counsellor over the phone.

Please contact the team on 01274 726096 or through the ‘contact’ section on our website, http://www.relatebradford.org or by emailing Information@RelateBradford.com

Relationship Advice

We can provide free relationship counselling and support for people, under our ‘grocery aid’ funding.

Healthy relationships with our partners and family are vital to our health and wellbeing.  As we move through life, we experience changes and transitions that can put pressure on our relationships and it’s good to know that there is support available to help you, your partner or your family cope with both the emotional and practical impact on your lives together.

Services available to you  

You can talk to a counsellor in a variety of ways and you may decide to use a mix of these services depending on your situation.

Face-to-face counselling is currently unavailable due to COVID-19.

Web counselling

– Work with a counsellor via web camera.

Telephone counselling

– Work with a counsellor over the phone.

Eligibility criteria

Available to grocery colleagues, their spouses, partners and dependents.

Please contact us on 01274 726096 or via the contact section on our website, http://www.relatebradford.org

Due to the impact of COVID-19 and limited resources, the office landlines have been transferred to a work mobile.

Whilst we are continuing to deliver a counselling service between the office hours of 9.00am to 9.00pm, the mobile phone is staffed within the following days and times:

• Monday: 10.00am – 3.00pm
• Tuesday: 4.00pm – 9.00pm
• Wednesday: 10.00am – 3.00pm
• Thursday: 9.00am – 1.00pm
• Friday: 9.00am – 12.00 noon

Emails are monitored and checked during our normal working hours.

We apologise for any inconvenience you may experience. If you cannot get through (if the line is busy) please try again, leave a message or, if you are able to, please email the team on Information@relatebradford.com or use our ‘contact’ us section on our website.

Thank you.

It can be hard to know when to start something as committed as therapy. Like all those decisions, everyday life often gets in the way of the longer term changes – from finally fixing that wobbly table leg or that wobbly relationship.

With Coronavirus causing us to spend more time at home, our busy schedules – and the things we do to distract ourselves – might be lost, temporarily. We are perhaps plunged into spending more time with our loved ones: and what about when it is our loved ones already driving us up the wall? Whilst we worry about the health of the nation, our immediate concerns might be how do we cope with the people we’re now spending so much time with?

The lockdown just announced, will be bringing new challenges and pressures on our relationships. The intense proximity to our partner might bring new frustrations, arguments and lack of passion. But this is also an opportunity for exploration. Slowing down, without the gyms and the pubs and the long commutes, might be just the time to look at ourselves, our family, our relationships and our sex lives. This could be just the time to seize the day and enrich the quality of our lives. With the space to contemplate what matters.

RELATE BRADFORD has responded to the public health conditions and has trained up all our clinicians to offer you webcam and telephone counselling from the security of your home. We can offer expert intervention, of the same quality of service, to make this a time of transformation and personal growth.

We offer telephone or webcam on all the following:

• Relationship Counselling
• Individual Counselling
• Couple’s Therapy for Depression Counselling
• Sex Therapy
• Children and Young People’s Counselling
• Family Counselling
• Telephone Counselling
• Training and Education

“We are STILL here for you. 

Relate National has increased their availability of highly trained counsellors to support everyone’s relationships during this unprecedented time. More details about our Live Chat, telephone and webcam counselling services can be found here. Following the government’s latest advice on COVID-19, most face-to-face services are temporarily closed.

We have also put together some advice and tips for keeping relationships healthy during self-isolation and social distancing. ​

Together we will get through this. Stay at home, stay safe. “

Please contact us for an appointment or to find out more on 01274 726096 or email us at Information@relatebradford.com