Infatuation Rules
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How can I get free relationship advice?

The Counselling Helpline – 0808 802 2088. The Counselling Helpline is here when you need help or to talk to someone about your mental health, your emotions or a relationship problem. Someone who isn't involved, who won't take sides and won't get upset or angry by what you want to say. Someone who will really listen.

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The Counselling Helpline –

The Counselling Helpline is here when you need help or to talk to someone about your mental health, your emotions or a relationship problem. Someone who isn’t involved, who won’t take sides and won’t get upset or angry by what you want to say. Someone who will really listen. Supported by the Scottish Government, you can speak to our professional Helpline Counsellors Monday to Friday on freephone during opening hours. The service is completely free of charge in Scotland and totally confidential. Your call won’t appear on any itemised phone bills.

The Counselling Helpline opening hours

The Counselling Helpline operates on the following days and times, excluding public holidays, on freephone

Monday: 9am – 9pm

Tuesday: 9am – 9pm

Wednesday: 9am – 9pm

Thursday: 9am – 9pm

Friday: 9am – 4pm

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What issues do people call the Counselling Helpline for help with?

Helpline counsellors are available to deal with any issue however, here are some problems we regularly help our callers with:

Relationship difficulties with their partner

Conflict between siblings or parent-child conflict

Relationship problems with family members or friends

Impact of relationships on mental health

Bullying in the workplace

Separation or divorce

For help with their mental health

The impact of disability, caring responsibilities or chronic ill-health

Because they need someone to talk to about issues in their life

Everyone feels overwhelmed with life at times. When you feel like this call The Spark’s Counselling Helpline on during opening hours.

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Do you offer ongoing counselling? How much does it cost?

Yes. Callers who might benefit from ongoing counselling and support can access it by calling the helpline. We offer face-to-face, telephone and online counselling to anyone in Scotland. Ongoing counselling is a fee-based service, however, thanks to our donors and funders some free and subsidised counselling sessions are available. Calls to the Counselling Helpline are totally free on from landlines and mobiles.

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Calls to this helpline are free from landlines and mobile phones within Scotland and do not appear on itemised bills.

About The Spark

The Spark is a mental health charity that offers counselling and support services for individuals, couples, families, children and young people in Scotland. The Spark has been supporting individuals, couples and families dealing with their mental health, wellbeing and relationships since 1965.

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Are couples supposed to text everyday?

Absolutely nothing is “normal.” Some couples text a million times a day, while others save it for pillow talk. Sometimes, on super busy workdays, there might be no communication at all. And that's totally fine. Try to figure out your limits so you can draw up the communication blueprint for your relationship.

“I’m a big texter. I like to share my thoughts on news, vent about work and just have a little light banter. It helps me get through the day. But my long-term boyfriend is not a texter and literally goes hours without texting me back. He was a lot better early in our relationship, but it’s been a few years, and he’s no longer as communicative. It bothers me a lot, but I can’t tell what a reasonable amount of communication is. He insists what we had was too much. What’s the answer?” This is actually a very common problem in relationships. Why? Probably because our standards for communication are often set in the dating phase when things are new and exciting and you have a lot to learn about each other. For lots of folks, once you settle into a relationship, get into a routine and even move in together, there’s less urgency. When communication in a relationship evolves and our expectations don’t, there’s a dissonance, and to resolve it, we need to check in with ourselves and our partner. But before you get to that, here’s a general guideline for how communication tends to ebb and flow throughout a relationship. Read on, and try to point to where you might land.

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