Relationship Counselling Bristol and Bath
It doesn't matter if you’re on your own, married, living together, LGBTQI+, non-monogamous, or anything in between - we’re here to help you strengthen your relationships. Relate Avon provides Relationship Counselling in Bristol, Bath and the surrounding areas.
What is Relationship Counselling?
Relationship counselling (or Couples Therapy) offers a caring, confidential and supportive space in which you can examine problems and think about ways to address them. You can come on your own or with a partner.
You will be helped to explore your story, what the problems are, what their impact is, and what changes you’d like to happen. Your counsellor will help you gain insights, develop tools and techniques, and find the strength and resources within yourself and the relationship to resolve difficulties - or at least cope with them better. If you’re coming to Relate as a couple, your counsellor will also help you to talk to each other in ways that will help you work through your problems together and build skills to tackle any future difficulties.
Our counsellors are trained to help people understand themselves better, relate better to others, work through things for themselves and make decisions about what next.
How can Relationship Counselling Help?
People come to see us for lots of different reasons.
You may be straight or gay, young or old. You may be in a relationship where you're arguing a lot or struggling to talk to your partner. Or maybe the spark has gone and perhaps you’re thinking about ending your relationship. Or maybe you’re coming to terms with a relationship break-up.
You might be happy in your relationship but looking to resolve an issue or strengthen your connection for the future. Or perhaps you’re not in a relationship right now and want to look at why.
Whatever the issue, your counsellor will not judge you and what you say will be treated as confidential. See FAQs for more information.
Find out more about Couples Counselling, who it’s for, how it works and how it could help you.
Can counselling help with separation? Yes! Counselling can be very effective. It can help you process the tough emotions you might struggle to deal with, and bring the relationship to an end with as little pain or misunderstanding as possible. Mediation might be a better option if you think you need a bit more support making arrangements about finances or children.
Is Relationship Counselling suitable for people who are not in a relationship? Yes! Relationship Counselling for single people can be very beneficial and you can find more information on our Relationship Counselling for Individuals page.
What happens in Relationship Counselling?
After making an appointment, you'll be seen by a trained Relate Relationship Counsellor for a 50-minute session at either our Bristol or Bath premises, or online. You can choose from one of these three options, and decide if you'd like to attend on your own or with your partner.
In your first session, your counsellor will take the time to understand your relationship, the challenges you're facing, and what you hope to achieve through counselling. If you're attending Relate Avon as a couple, the session will also include time to talk to you separately. This provides a safe space to share your individual reasons for seeking support and discuss the issues you’d like to work on together. What you discuss with your counsellor in your individual time is always confidential to you.
At the end of that first session, your counsellor will talk with you about how Relate can help you and the options for ongoing counselling. In some cases, we may recommend a referral to another service to ensure you receive the most suitable support. If this happens, we will discuss this with you.
Further sessions will be 50 minutes each. How your counselling develops and how long it continues will depend on you and what issues you want to address. You might meet only once, or you might meet at a regular time for several weeks or longer. Read our blog to find out more: What to expect in a Couples Counselling session at Relate
How much does Relationship Counselling cost?
We are a charity and don't make a profit from the services we provide. We charge a fee for Counselling to cover the costs of the sessions. An initial assessment costs £68 with ongoing sessions charged at a rate agreed between you and your counsellor on a sliding scale, starting at £68 and according to your income.
However, you may be eligible for free counselling under one of our national partnerships. Outside of these we aim to support everybody who can benefit from our counselling irrespective of their ability to pay. We offer reduced counselling fees which we fund through those clients able to pay higher fees and through dedicated fundraising. Please ask!
“It was a true relationship life line. Relate helped us to listen to one another, and acknowledge both of our struggles. Our therapist was so respectful, calm, open, friendly and was a true joy to work with. I don't think we would have made it without them.”
“As soon as I had the first session with her the relief I felt was enormous.”
“It proved to be extremely impactful and important for both of us. and helped us hugely. Sessions were well organised, meaningful and great value for money.”