Relationship Circle

01/02/2026

Solve conflict now (don't make it worse)
I love the title of this topic. This is for anyone who is in relationship challenge.
I read Dr Gary Chapman's message below which I thought it would be helpful to share with the readers.
'Conflict is unavoidable in relationships, for one simple reason—we are individuals.
As individuals, we have different desires, preferences, irritations, and frustrations. The rub is that we all tend to think our way is the right way, which creates the friction that sparks the conflict.
The key to resolving these conflicts in a healthy way is good communication. Both parties must learn to actively listen to each other's thoughts and perspectives regarding the issue, without jumping to conclusions.
After listening to one another, it's time to come to an agreement. This can happen in one of three ways:
Meet in the Middle — If you both feel extremely strong in your opinions, you'll most likely have to meet in the middle. This solution requires both parties to compromise and sacrifice some things so you can come to a decision that can be agreed upon.
Meet on a Side — This is a solution for when one side feels less strongly on the issue than the other. It's when the less opinionated person willingly chooses to go along with the other person, doing so with a positive attitude. This should not involve coercion or manipulation. It's a loving surrender.
Meet Later — If you can't reach a consensus, a little time might be needed. You can both agree to disagree and revisit the issue at an agreed-upon time to find a solution.
In some instances, there may be no "right" or "wrong" (e.g., where to squeeze the toothpaste tube). Refrain from judging one another, and think outside the box for a solution → perhaps, it's buying two toothpaste tubes instead of one.

The key is to create an open and friendly atmosphere by listening to and affirming each other's perspectives rather than accusing each other of illogical thinking. Take responsibility and focus on fixing the problem, not each other.

Please let us know how you feel about your own relationship with people whom you love and care for. You may like to share with our mentors in a safe space virtually and so, please connect with us via emailing us
contact@relationship-circle.org

01/02/2026

Two interesting events coming up in February and in March 2026.

You are invited to join us at the two training events in coming months.
1. Online Mentor training by Victoria Galloway, Befriending Networks on Tuesday 24 February 6pm - 7.30pm. This is for anyone who is interested in the role of the volunteer mentor. We are recruiting volunteer mentors who are residents in any parts of the UK.
2. Health talk - Looking After Your Breast Health by Charmaine Case, Breast Screening Nurse Specialist on Wednesday 18 March 6.30pm - 7.30pm via Teams. Please see the enclosed poster for your information. Everyone is welcome to this talk.

If you wish to register a place, please email
admin.support@relationship-circle.org

04/01/2026

Feeling Loved Matters

How do we as parents relate to our kids when it comes to love? Here are some wise tips from Dr Gary Chapman and I do agree wholeheartedly with what he says.

'Most parents love their kids.
Yet, many kids struggle to feel loved.
And, unfortunately, research tells us that when a child doesn’t feel loved, it shows. They struggle at school. Act out at home. Shut down emotionally.
You see, inside every child is an emotional love tank. When it's full, they feel safe, significant, and a sense of belonging. When it's empty, they wrestle with frustration, insecurity, and loneliness.
The secret to filling their emotional love tank? Expressing love in a language they understand.

A woman once shared with Dr Chapman that she never felt loved by her mother. But after her mother passed, she learned about The 5 Love Languages®.
Looking back, she realized her mother was always serving—washing dishes, cooking meals, folding laundry. Her mom’s love language was Acts of Service.
But the daughter’s love language? Words of Affirmation.
Her mother was loving her all along, just not in the way she needed most. Realizing this changed everything and brought her the peace and healing she never thought possible.

Don’t wait to get this right. Learn your child’s love language now—so they don’t just know they’re loved… they feel it.
Because when children feel unconditionally loved, everything changes.'

Please think about how we learn from Dr Chapman on the 5 Love Languages.
Should you need any help or support from Relationship Circle CIC, please email us via contact@relationship-circle.org
Look after your wellbeing and take care. Have a great 2026.

04/01/2026

Happy New Year to you!

Invitation to the Health talk event on Anxiety: Every Mind Matters on Tuesday 20 January 6.30pm - 7.30pm.

This health talk will be presented by Louise Hamilton. Louise is a qualified clinical hypnotherapist and EMDR therapist who specialises in helping people move past anxiety in all its forms.
Purpose:
· To create a supportive platform for the discussion in anxiety management and how this affects us differently.
· To recognise and address anxiety in the aftermath of stressful events.
· To explore coping strategies we can adopt.
· To build resilience through personal lifestyle changes of our own choices e.g. meditation, hypnotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, and healthy living.

The agenda for the session:
· Definition of anxiety, the causes, and its triggers.
· Recognizing signs and symptoms and exploring coping strategies.
· Identifying available help and support resources.
· Formalise a plan of action to build your resilience and to have a better happier life.

Please register a FREE place via contact@relationship-circle.org
Look forward to seeing you on 20 January 2026.

25/11/2025

A virtual talk on empowering women’s health, delivered by Dr Naomi Bennett (GP and menopause specialist), was both electric and impressive. I found the session highly informative and helpful.

The purpose of the session was threefold:
- To create a supportive platform for discussing the importance of women’s health.
- To improve understanding of key health issues affecting women.
- To share practical tips for managing common concerns such as heavy menstrual bleeding, menopause, and sexual health.

Participants were impressed by Dr Bennett’s knowledge and her thoughtful responses to medical queries. She covered a wide range of topics, including menstrual health, contraception, fibroids, polycystic ovaries, endometriosis, gynaecological concerns, pelvic floor and bladder health, vulval skin health, and peri/menopause.

Furthermore, her talk aligned with the national Women’s Health Strategy for England (2022), which focuses on understanding and addressing the changing health needs of women and girls throughout their lives.

Educational sessions like this encourage women to care for their bodies and seek medical help promptly for any pain or unusual symptoms.

15/11/2025

I gained 46 followers and created 2 posts in the past 90 days! Thank you all for your continued support. I could not have done it without you. 🙏🤗🎉

01/11/2025

Big Vote for Relationship Circle CIC - Reimagining a healthy life for local residents in Beckton and Royal Docks

Relationship Circle Community Interest Company have applied for People Powered Places funding in Royal Docks and Beckton Community Neighbourhood in Newham and have been shortlisted. Right now, you can vote for how £200,000 is spent where you live, work or study in Newham on up to 10 community projects, including mine.
Voting is now open until 30 November for Newham residents to vote in person or online.
� � How to vote:
✔ Join The Big Vote Event on Saturday 8 November, 10am-12.30pm, Canning Town Library, find out more here Event: People Powered Beckton & Royal Docks: The Big Vote
✔ Vote online on Newham CoCreate → Support my idea - Reimagining a healthy life for local residents in Beckton and Royal Docks at
Project: People Powered Beckton & Royal Docks |
✔ At Beckton Globe Library, North Woolwich Library or Beckton Community Centre
✔ At an Outreach voting session near you →– you can find my project page here [People Powered Places |]
Every vote counts—help us make this happen!


Find out more here: https://www.newham.gov.uk/peoplepoweredplaces
There are some fantastic projects that will really benefit our community, including mine – get involved!
Let's work together to make Beckton and Royal Docks even better.

Every little help will count. Please Vote For Me! Thank you.
If you have any questions, please email
contact@relationship-circle.org

Welcome to the online participation platform of . Explore local projects and engage in the discussion!

13/07/2025

How's your relationship?

Everyone reading this space has relationships.

But here’s the real question: What’s the quality of those relationships?
We all know the difference.

The wise words from Dr Gary Chapman are well registered.

'Life’s greatest joys often come from healthy, affirming relationships. And life’s deepest pain? Usually from the broken ones.

So here’s something bold but true: Your ability to give and receive love well might be the most important life skill you ever develop.

That’s where The 5 Love Languages® come in.

They aren’t just for romantic relationships. They’re universal. They apply to every relationship — with parents, friends, coaches, teammates, co-workers, and spouses.

Some teens don’t feel loved by their parents — not because they aren’t loved, but because their parents don’t speak their primary love language.
Some athletes don’t thrive on teams — not because they lack skill, but because they unintentionally send the message, “I don’t need you.”

The truth is this: Learning to personalize love and appreciation in a way the other person can actually receive is the key to building stronger, lasting, more life-giving relationships.

Can you imagine how much heartache and unnecessary drama you could save yourself if go back and help the teenage version of yourself understand these concepts?

Unfortunately, you can't go back. But you can pay it forward.

Imagine helping a teenager:
- Avoid unnecessary heartache
- Build healthier friendships
- Strengthen your relationship with them
- Gain emotional intelligence that gives them a lifelong advantage

The advise is better relationships = a better life.

Relationship Circle CIC had a successful online mentor training this week and we have a team of committed and caring mentors who wish to meet you and to help or support if we can. Please email us
contact@relationship-circle.org

04/06/2025

Self discovery

Once again, I was reading Dr Gary Chapman's message today on how we deal with our own stress. I cannot wait to share with you.

'Most people live under a fair amount of stress. This stress may come from too many responsibilities, too little money or time, poor health, or fractured relationships.

Can you relate?
Whatever the source of the stress, we are more likely to become impatient when we feel life pressing in on us. We become perfectionists. We want to do things right and timely. When we fail, we are irritated with ourselves and condemn ourselves with words:

I can't believe I did that.
How could I be so foolish?
Why didn't I take more time?
I was so stupid.

Such self-talk does not engender growth. Instead it drives us into further discouragement.

KEY If we want to love others well, we need to be patient with ourselves.
If we are impatient with ourselves, we will likely be impatient with others. We hold others to the same high standard to which we hold ourselves. Often, that standard is unrealistic for anyone.

The answer lies not necessarily in lowering the standard for ourselves but in cooperating with the process of growth. If you did a job with which you were not pleased, acknowledge the positive things you did and ask, What can I learn from this experience?

When we are patient, we acknowledge to ourselves and others that failure can be a stepping-stone toward success.

Take the next step in your journey in self-discovery for better relationships.' Take free quizzes from
https://5lovelanguages.com/quizzes

We had a successful mental health and wellbeing talk by Dr Henk Parmentier, GP with a special interest in mental health and a visiting Professor abroad yesterday. The feedback from the participants was very positive. How about visiting a physiotherapist or hairdresser for a bit of therapy now and again! I do and I love my hairdresser. Having a pet will help reduce loneliness and enhance health and wellbeing. I hope you will come along to our next talk in September - an introduction to counselling practice.
Please drop us a line - contact@relationship-circle.org if you need some help or support from us. We have a team of kind and caring befrienders/mentors and I am sure we are able to give you a hand. Thank you.

Discover the secrets that have helped millions of people improve their relationships and themselves.

01/06/2025

How well do you deal with anger?

My personal experience is telling me that I should know better but I cannot help being angry when things went wrong. I do like Dr Gary Chapman's advice as described below.

'Couples typically deal with anger in one of two ways. They either explode and express their anger in violent and destructive behaviour, or they hold it inside and allow it to burn and smoulder, which often seeps out passive-aggressively.

Both are harmful ways of dealing with anger.
Both bring communication to a halt.

No one wants to continue talking to a person who is uncontrollably expressing anger. On the other hand, communication is impossible when a person is not willing to talk.

Most couples simply do not resolve conflicts because anger constantly gets in the way. They are not able to carry a conversation to its conclusion because one or both either explode or withdraw. Thus, conflicts are swept under the rug and labeled off-limits to future conversation.

In time, a couple may sweep so many matters under the rug that they have nothing left to talk about. There are no safe subjects, so communication ceases and the marriage dies a slow death.

There is an answer.

Anger indicates that something in the relationship needs attention. It is like an alarm that calls attention to a fire. Once the fireman arrives, you can turn off the alarm and focus on putting out the fire. Similarly, when anger calls us to attention, we must turn off its alarm and focus on the problem that triggered it in the first place.

"Sounds logical," you say, "but how can I turn off the alarm?"
Admit you are angry. Own the fact that you are experiencing an emotion, and that's okay.

Restrain your response. Don't blow up, stuff it, become passive-aggressive, letting your anger lead you to say or do something you'll later regret.
Share your problem. You can't solve a person, but you can solve a problem. Name it.

Look for a solution. Now that the problem is named, commit to hearing each other out and working together to find an agreeable solution.

In a healthy relationship, these steps—although uncomfortable in the moment—will help you resolve conflicts, and ultimately, strengthen your relationship.

If you repeatedly find anger driving your behaviour, you may be dealing with some deeper issues. In that case, I'd encourage you to seek out wise counsel from a trusted counsellor or marriage mentor.'

So, if you feel Relationship Circle CIC can be of help to you, please do drop us an email
contact@relationship-circle.org
By the way, if you would like to join us for the mental health and wellbeing virtual session on Tuesday 3 June 2025 6.30pm - 7.45pm, please email for a joining link. Look forward to seeing you there.

16/05/2025

Invitation to the mental health and wellbeing virtual talk on Tuesday 3/6 6.30pm - 7.45pm

Please come and join us on the 'Raising awareness of mental health and wellbeing' talk by Dr Henk Parmentier, GP , Mental Health expert and Visiting Professor on Tuesday 3 June via Teams 6.30pm - 7.45pm.

Mental health and wellbeing are important to us and we always want to lead a happy life and enjoy what we love and what we want to do in our lives. Hence, it is important that we should do more about our mental wellbeing regardless our personal journey in life.

Purpose of the talk are:
· To provide a platform to bring people together to learn how they can manage their mental wellbeing with support from others.
· To raise the awareness of individual’s understanding on mental health and their wellbeing.
· To spot the common types of mental health issues/problems
· To give practical advice on how to look after ourselves when supporting others
· To build confidence in ourselves to tackle life situations at any one time

Please join us on Tuesday 3 June via Teams 6.30pm - 7.45pm and just follow the QR code on the poster and you will get to the registration of the event. Look forward to seeing you. Relationship Circle CIC team

04/05/2025

Are you emotionally intelligent?

Hopefully, I am but...........

Something I love to read the following message from Dr Gary Chapman.

'An emotionally intelligent person is marked by the ability to see from another's perspective. It's the opposite of a "me-centered" viewpoint, which gives no thought or consideration to the needs, wants, and desires of others.
Without emotional intelligence, relationships suffer and frustration abounds.
Perhaps you struggle in this area. You are not alone. It's not something that comes naturally to most of us, but rather a skill we learn over a lifetime—one that contributes greatly to the health, satisfaction, and joy in our relationships.
Growing in emotional intelligence takes practice. If you would like to grow in your ability to accurately understand others and how they view life, here are a few ways to get started:

- Listen to others. Use active listening to check for accurate understanding of what they are sharing.
- Observe when people get upset or frustrated. Seek to understand what is disturbing them and how they are viewing the situation.
- Spend time with others. Go to recreational events and meet their family and friends.
- Get to know more about others—where they grew up, important events in their lives, and what they describe as important to them.
- Take the time and energy to learn more about those with whom you work, serve, and live, and you will understand them better—how they think, why they react to the situations they do, and even why they choose certain words and phrases in communication.

When you begin to understand others more fully by growing in emotional intelligence, the miscommunications and misunderstandings between you will diminish significantly.'

These are very sensible guidance from Dr Chapman. Hope you will find this helpful. If Relationship Circle CIC can be of help to you, please email
contact@relationship-circle.org