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Advice for maintaining healthy relationships during the coronavirus ’lockdown’ has been drawn up by counsellors at local charity Relate North and South West Sussex.

The charity - which has centres in Crawley, Horsham and East Grinstead - covers topics such as how to stay connected, avoid falling out with your partner and family members, and how to talk to your children about the virus and reduce anxiety.

The advice follows concerns that couples and families are going to face increasing tensions putting extraordinary pressure on relationships.

Relate has closed its face-to-face services due to the coronavirus outbreak but is offering telephone and video link counselling services and is working to increase the availability of these over the coming days.

Families can come under increased pressure SUS-200327-145017001 | Other 3rd Party

Counsellor Alex Psaila said: “Change of routine and being in isolation are difficult. Unfortunately, some people will be facing the additional pressures of home schooling, money difficulties and real fear about loved ones’ health and wellbeing.

“It’s going to take a while to adapt and see our way through this, but it is possible to get through this and make our relationships stronger as a result.”

Advice for dealing with the additional pressures of self-isolation and ‘lockdown’ includes:

If self-isolating at home you may feel disconnected from others. Make use of social media, text, instant messaging, phone and video messaging as ways of keeping connected.

Your routines and roles may change if one or both of you are working from home. This could be a challenge or an opportunity so try to make it work for you by communicating regularly about how this is going.

Stick to facts when talking to children and communicate with them calmly, consciously and responsibly, using simple language.

Try to avoid using catastrophising language. Brushing things under the carpet can also increase anxiety so aim to strike a balance.

If somebody says or does something to upset you, try counting to ten and taking some deep breaths. It may be that you no longer feel the need to ‘react’.

For more advice and details about telephone or video counselling visit https://www.relate.org.uk/sussex or telephone Relate North and South West Sussex on 01293 657055

Sussex charity Relate issues advice on relationships during ‘lockdown’