Building a healthy marriage is truly a lifelong investment, and therefore that is why finding time to talk together about ways to increase the joy of your marriage is important. You don’t need to have a bad marriage to think about marriage enrichment. You can have a great relationship, but still, make some changes that will make life together even richer. Talk to your minister to find out if there are resources available for you, or events in your area that may be of help.
It is also good to know where to turn to if there are issues in your marriage that seem impossible to resolve together. The Marriage Council is here to signpost people to counselling services both in Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland. The following list are accredited counselling services which the Marriage Council have endorsed.
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In order to provide real support to couples, the Marriage Council will offer an initial 6 counselling sessions free of charge. After which, additional sessions will be charged.
Please note that whilst counsellors may not physically be close to you, it may be possible for counselling to be done online using Zoom, FaceTime or other electronic resources.
Counsellors are listed by area and contact details below
Dublin
Brian Griffin
Tel : 086
3751327
Email : [email protected]
Website : www.counsellingforcouples.ie
Dianne Morris
Tel : 086
2566895
Email : [email protected]
Shona Rusk
Tel : 086 8217486
Email: [email protected]
Midlands
No available counsellors at present
Galway
No available counsellors at present
South East
Heather James
Tel : 086 326 8805
Email : [email protected]
Cork
Sylvia Helen
Tel : 086 323 0805
Email : [email protected]
South West
Shawn Jamieson
Tel : 085 878 7641
Email : [email protected]
Belfast
Lynne Heber
Tel : 07787 803343
Email : [email protected]
Counties Down / Fermanagh / Tyrone
Christian Guidelines
Tel : 028 9146 8846
Email : [email protected]
Website : www.christianguidelines.org
County Armagh
Care in Crisis
Tel : 028 3832 9900
Email : [email protected]
Website : www.careincrisis.org.uk
Additional counsellors may come onboard from time to time. If you live in a location that is not covered by counsellors, please contact Aisling Sheridan at [email protected]
Dianne Morris, a member of the Marriage Council, has provided a short and very helpful guide when thinking about enriching your marriage and making your relationship together a priority.
‘A Good Marriage is made in Heaven, but so is Thunder and Lightning!’
Ecclesiastes 4:13 – A cord of three strands is not easily broken.
Couples come into marriage full of expectation and hopes for their future life together. They may invest in a home, family, business, career, sport, friends, Parish life, moving County, Country. Where there are children they eventually gain “roots and wings” and the couple are then on their own again. Marriage is one of the biggest single investments. The long term hope would be for the relationship to be sustained through the ‘ebb and flow’ of all the changing seasons and circumstances that life brings.
Life, can, unintentionally, distract from giving priority to building into the couple’s relationship. Tiredness, poor communication, unresolved conflict, hurt, illness, family responsibilities, financial pressures and boredom can contribute to the effort it takes to commit to working though issues. This can block clear communication and intimacy. Marriage never has to be average. Research tells us that just as couples can spiral down to a negative place, it often takes a small spark, to spiral up again and feel ‘connected’, and to be each other’s number one priority again. It is not unusual to feel “stuck” at times. A good enough marriage is made up of two good forgivers, who choose each other again, and again. Just as we NCT and MOT our cars, do CPD and learn new skills and crafts, there is great value in investing time in the couple relationship.
Weekly date nights, time spent together (not just in front of the TV or computer), read a relationship book, find a course, an enrichment weekend, get professional help. There are options available, it may feel like a ‘risk’, and take some courage. However, attending a course doesn’t necessarily mean there are problems, it can make a ‘good’ relationship even better. Begin where you are, there is always something new couples can learn about one another. Making your relationship a priority – even when there is a lot going on – is vital for a long and happy marriage. This is a good investment.
‘A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.’ Mignon McLaughlin