Resources
Find below information and resources for couples.
Cana UK
CANA has helped enrich and deepen the lives of thousands of couples, whether married or in a long term relationship. Now in its 40th year, it is present in nearly 50 countries around the world. Its inspiration comes from the spirituality lived out by the Chemin Neuf community over the past 47 years in response to the different realities of couple and family life. It has a particular Ignatian focus on prayer and time spent together as a couple. For More information about Chemin Neuf please click here
CANA provides a pathway for deepening love within the couple, rediscovering the beauty of marriage and tasting the loving presence of God. CANA welcomes those who want to deepen their relationship. Alongside married couples with or without children, they also welcome and embrace those in a long term relationship wondering about their future commitment, couples wanting to resolve difficulties in their relationship who may be considering separation, and those in a new relationship after divorce.
Find out more.
Equipes Notre Dame (Teams of Our Lady) Great Britain
Equipes Notre-Dame (Teams) is an international Christian lay movement that works to enrich marriage spirituality for couples who seek to live their marriages sacramentally. Teams provide new opportunities to increase and improve prayer life, helping couples grow closer to God and to each other. They are part of the Alliance of Catholic Marriage Organisations blog link
If you would like to know more about Teams Click here
Marriage Care – relationship counselling
They were established as a charity in 1946 to support families in the Catholic community whose relationships came under stress after the trauma and upheaval of World War II. Their President is the Archbishop of Westminster. Over the decades, their counselling service has grown to serve all communities, enabling individuals to experience the benefits that healthy couple relationships bring to personal wellbeing, family life, and society as a whole.
Relationship Counselling: All relationships have ups and downs. Sometimes, though, things can get a bit stuck and it can be difficult to find a positive solution. That’s when help from a skilled couple relationship counsellor can make all the difference. They deliver relationship counselling through one or more 50-minute sessions held weekly with the same counsellor. Sessions are confidential within the limits of the law and client safety. Clients are given a weekly slot at the same time each week, and it remains available to them for as long as needed or as agreed with their counsellor (the average is 9–10 sessions). Please click here to go to their website.
All of their counsellors have undergone a formal selection process and rigorous training, with ongoing professional development and regular supervision to ensure high standards of practice. The counsellors are trained to use Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), which draws on adult attachment theory. As an organisational member of the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy), they are bound by its Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy and are subject to the current Professional Conduct Procedure.
All of their counsellors give their time and expertise entirely on a voluntary basis.
Marriage Care is the lowest-cost provider of relationship counselling. They do not receive any government funding and rely on client generosity to maintain their service. They will never turn anyone away because they cannot afford to contribute very much.
SmartLoving Breakthrough Workshops
Help for marriages under stress.
All couples go through periods where their relationship is strained. Stress, sleep-deprivation, demands from family and work can starve your marriage of the positive energy it needs and deserves. Soon, you find yourselves arguing more often, making up with less enthusiasm and becoming someone even you yourself don’t like.
Breakthrough the issues at play in your marriage Click here for details
This is a 3 hour workshop that will change your outlook and help your marriage.
- Identify your conflict triggers.
- Learn strategies to de-escalate an argument.
- Find constructive ways to re-establish connection
If this sounds like you, or someone you love, it’s time to do something about it!
It is a practical, solution-focused event for all stages of marriage. Drawing on contemporary research and Catholic theology, this workshop will arm you with skills and insights to transform your relationship into the thriving, joy-filled encounter that it is meant to be.
Retrouvaille
Retrouvaille is the name of a programme designed to help heal and renew marriages. The word “Retrouvaille” simply means “rediscovery”.
The programme offers the chance to rediscover yourself, your partner, and a loving relationship in your marriage. We all have our own unique story as a couple. If you are willing, as a couple, to work through any difficulties this self-help marriage seminar. For full details visit our website Retrouvaille UK
There are times when we might feel that we have become ‘married singles’ living in the same space but emotionally, spiritually & physically apart.
Click for Testimonials each dealing with different martial issues, each a reminder that learning how to communicate effectively and clearly can be a key element in saving a troubled marriage.:
- If you and your partner want your marriage to work and are willing to put in your best efforts, then we invite you, even urge you, to attend.
- If you are thinking of separation, divorce or you are already separated, but want to try again, then we believe Retrouvaille can help.
- If you know of a couple who might need help, please tell them about Retrouvaille and encourage them to contact us.
If your marriage needs re-focusing, please do call us for a chat in confidence on +44 788 729 6983, or if you prefer email retrouvailleukinfo@gmail.com
Worldwide Marriage Encounter: Marriage Enrichment
Worldwide Marriage Encounter is a Movement which aims to give couples who are married, or in long-standing relationships and commitment the opportunity to enrich and refresh their relationships. It also seeks to give priests and religious the chance to reflect on their vocation and enhance their relationship with their parish and community. To go to their website click here.
They are a movement that provides weekend enrichment experiences and an on-going community of like minded couples, who support each other through enrichment/sharing groups.
Weekends and Online Experiences are Catholic in origin and ethos. Couples of any or no faith are also most welcome.
Marriage Encounter is not aimed at marriages or relationships that are in difficulty, because the Movement does not offer advice or counselling for marriages in crisis (see here)
Is your marriage or couple relationship important to you and your family?
Would you like:
More joy and romance?
More fun and laughter?
To be happier and closer as a couple?
A lifelong adventure together?
A time to focus on your unique relationship?
A Marriage Encounter Weekend is presented by up to three Catholic couples and a priest. There are no group discussion. It is a private conversation between each couple and a unique way for you to revitalise, affirm and grow your marriage away from the distractions, tensions and routine of everyday life
Natural Family Planning
The Church teaches that understanding and practicing the principles of natural fertility, or Natural Family Planning (NFP) is the only legitimate approach. This respects God’s design for married love.
The use of methods based on the ‘laws of nature and the incidence of fertility’ (Humanae Vitae, 11) are to be promoted, since ‘these methods respect the bodies of the spouses, encourage tenderness between them and favour the education of an authentic freedom’ (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2370). Greater emphasis needs to be placed on the fact that children are a wonderful gift from God and a joy for parents and the Church. Through them, the Lord renews the world.
Amoris Laetitia, § 222b
Natural vs Artificial Contraception
In a Catholic marriage the couple are asked the question, ‘Are you prepared to accept children lovingly from God?’.
Contraception separates life from love as, its primary purpose is to avoid pregnancy. Natural Family Planning fundamentally seeks to keep life and love together; it seeks to both achieve pregnancy and avoid pregnancy, depending on the timing of sex within a woman’s natural cycle.
Natural Family Planning (NFP) is a natural, healthy and effective method which unites husband and wife in the shared responsibility of creating and caring for their family. Research has shown that NFP is beneficial to a couple’s self-knowledge, couple communication, and satisfaction with the frequency of sexual intercourse.
NFP enables couples to reliably differentiate between a fertile day and a non-fertile day and enables spouses to live and love in harmony with the teachings of the Church. It is also highly effective in helping couples achieve pregnancy and has been successful in enabling a third of couples who struggle with fertility issues to conceive.
The methods are easy to learn and with no harmful side effects, they are embryo-friendly and result in fewer divorces, due to the mutual understanding and joint responsibility that NFP couples practice with increased use.
For information on achieving, delaying or avoiding pregnancy we have provided the following links for you to explore. These modern methods are extremely effective
Billings Method England. Using the body’s natural signal of fertility to achieve or avoid pregnancy and to safeguard your reproductive health.
The Couple to Couple League in Great Britain. CCL has been teaching the Symptothermal Method of NFP for 40 years internationally, and for 30 years in the UK.
Natural Fertility Matters. Natural Family Planning, infertility treatment & women’s health services.
Natural Family Planning Website for teachers but also for those couples who are trying to learn about their fertility in order to achieve or avoid pregnancy.
Struggling to concieve?
The Infertility Companion for Catholics, by Angelique Ruhi-Lopez and Carmen Santamaria Book suggestion
Napro Technology Natural Procreative Technology has provided a major breakthrough in monitoring and maintaining a Woman’s Reproductive and Gynecological Health.
Fiat Fertility Care (NaPro Technology and Naturopathy)
For information on Napro Technology England please email the Catholic Medical Association (UK) secretary@catholicmedicalassociation.org.uk
Life Fertility Care -The Life Fertility Care programme promotes and supports reproductive health and fertility.
Marriage Care – relationship counselling
This is a beautiful calling. It is also a complex, expensive, and emotionally taxing process so sourcing support and advice is essential.
Home for Good is a Christian organisation, who provide very good information sessions on adoption providing space and information to reflect upon.
Counselling and practical support
Life Charity This UK charity offers free emotional support, counselling, and skilled listening via phone, text, email, or in-person for women and families facing pregnancy loss or unexpected pregnancy, which can overlap with infertility issues.
The Fruitful Hollow – a Catholic Infertility Resource
