Relationship Aotearoa

Relationships Aotearoa  is a non-government, not-for-profit agency which provides skilled counselling and education services throughout New Zealand. Their particular field of expertise is relationships, but they work with all kinds of people, both in and out of relationships.

What does Relationships Aotearoa do?

Relationships Aotearoa is New Zealand’s largest provider of professional counselling and relationship education, assisting over 35,000 people each year and working in more than 70 communities throughout the country.  It  has provided services for individuals, couples and families for over 60 years.

Relationships Aotearoa has expertise in couple counselling, working with Māori, individual and family therapy, working with violence and abuse, youth at risk, and workplace issues.

Courses offered by Relationships Aotearoa include relationship-building skills for young people, anger management and conflict resolution, parenting and step parenting, becoming partners, and self esteem.

Relationships Aotearoa also delivers a Parenting Through Separation programme.  The course for separating parents addresses how separation affects children, how to reduce and manage conflict, a variety of living arrangements that work for different families, communication skills for a separated family, relevant legal processes and support services in your local community. It is a small group course and usually runs for 4 hours, often in two separate sessions. Partners from separating couples participate in different courses so they can each ask their own questions.

Relationships Aotearoa offers two types of Stopping Violence programmes, and caters for both people affected by the violent behaviour, and the people who behave violently.

If you are a victim of a violent relationship, the Stopping Violence Programme can help you recover from your experiences, work out how to keep yourself and your children safe, build self esteem and create a life free from violence.

If you are trapped in a cycle of violent or abusive behaviour, the Stopping Violence Programme can help you understand more about the effect violence is having in your life and in the lives of people you love, learn to recognise the build up to violent episodes so you can change what you do before it’s too late, work out how to keep yourself and people you love safe, learn safe ways to deal with anger and conflict, build respect for yourself and for others, and create a life free from violence.

How is it funded?

Some services are funded by Government but Relationships Aotearoa also relies on donations, grants, bequests and sponsorship. Individual donors, sponsors and. philanthropic organisations around the country help fund specific projects as well as more general running costs. Some of the specific projects include counselling for low-income clients who cannot afford to pay full fee, and programmes to support fathers as parents.

How can I get their help?

Relationships Aotearoa is listed under ‘R’ in the White Pages of your phone book, or you can call them on 0800 735 283.

How much does it cost?

A session costs $90.If you are on a low income, or financial pressures make counselling difficult to afford, then talk to the Relationships Aotearoa Administrator. Couples may also be eligible for free counselling sessions through the Family Court. To find out if you are eligible, talk to us or contact your local Family Court.

Link to Relationships Aotearoa website

www.relationshipsaotearoa.org.nz

This website talks about the services offered by Relationships Aotearoa, how to get in touch with them, and provides contact information for emergency counselling. It also has a range of articles which are like ‘tip sheets’ for dealing with some common issues in relationships.