Northern Ireland's relationship advice charity has launched a "Relationship MOT" service to help couples check-in with each other.
Relate NI's new support service lets couples take their relationship for a 50-minute "MOT" with a relationship councillor.
If the pandemic reminded us of anything, it's that relationships are at the heart of everything we do. Romantic relationships can improve our well-being and make us feel good, but only if we can continually work at them.
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Designed to be an accessible way for couples to check in with each other under the guidance of an expert relationship counsellor, the Relationship MOT can help you communicate more effectively, argue better, increase intimacy and love more passionately.
The first couple to trial the Relationship MOT service were couple Tiernan and Laura from Belfast.
Tiernan said: "I found the Relationship MOT an excellent method of focusing on how we work as a couple and just as importantly, where we need to work.
"It was professional, insightful and well worth the time. It has reminded us of how much we have to be proud of in our relationship and why it is so important to occasionally review it with experts.”
Laura added that there were "so many positives" to their experience. She said: "I would definitely recommend using the Relationship MOT service as a bit of a check in with your partner.
"I thought how the counsellor was able to steer the conversation was very insightful and nuanced. The MOT reminded us about why we are great together but also the importance of communication and respect.
“Our counsellor provided an outside perspective which immediately helped us to agree that we needed to stop and think with more kindness and empathy for each other especially when stressed or pissed off. We both felt that our counsellor’s excellent and gentle facilitation was quite invigorating. So many positives!”
The new service has been welcomed by Relate NI's CEO, Duane Farrell. He said: "Healthy couple relationships can bring us joy, give our lives meaning and they actually help improve our health and well-being.
"However, success in romantic relationships requires regular relationship maintenance and in fast-paced modern living, we can sometimes forget to do this important protective work with our partner.
“Every year we take our car for an MOT, so why not take your relationship for one too?
“By doing so, you can learn to communicate better, have better sex and remember how much you love each other.”
“While the MOT itself is a new service, our expert relationship counsellors have many years of experience of working with couples toward their desired aims.
"With the MOT, we are intending to provide an accessible approach to relationship support, and hopefully couples will walk away thinking about how they can better support each other and themselves throughout their relationship.”
The Relationship MOT can be booked by filling in the questionnaire on Relate NI’s website, and a member of the team will then be in touch.
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