The HIV/AIDS pandemic in South Africa is at crisis level, and while many organizations are providing medical care, FAMSA has identified an urgent need for family and relationship counselling for those affected. Gangsterism, rape and violence against women is escalating; alcohol and other substance abuse soars; extra-marital affairs are on the increase and family murders continue to dominate the headlines.
People, particularly those caught up in negative cycles, do not instinctively have the coping skills to assist themselves and those around them to deal with life and society's pressures. As family life and the relationships therein are the cornerstone of a wholesome society, drastic intervention is required. It is clear that relationship-counselling skills are vitally needed in all communities, especially the overcrowded and impoverished areas. It has been noted that "the extent and intensity of social pathologies in South Africa is such that increased therapeutic counselling services will be required to promote psycho-social healing at a personal, familial and community level" (ANC, 1994 Social Welfare & Development plan). FAMSA offers individual and relationship counselling to whoever needs it, irrespective of their ability to afford such services.
As developments and changes in society have taken place, FAMSA has adapted its Relationship Counselling Service to cover not only marital counselling but also counselling for individuals in relationships, families members, adolescents, divorcing couples or individuals involved in divorce as well as families of HIV/AIDS patients and their partners and children. Relationship challenges are diverse and include issues of sexual difficulties, substance abuse, parenting problems, single parenting problems, single parenthood and domestic violence. FAMSA's Relationship Counsellors are trained to specialize in these different areas. Through active participation from the counsellor as well as the client in an atmosphere of mutual acceptance, respect and confidentiality, counselling is conducted in a series of onehour sessions. In addition, divorce mediation, trauma debriefing, pre-marital computerized compatibility exercises and a marriage preparation and enrichment programme is also offered. The Marriage preparation and enrichment programme aims to heighten awareness of the importance of good communication as a fundamental attribute of a healthy relationship. Specific "how to" techniques of good communication are practiced and contrasted with destructive communication styles.
Healthy ways of anger management and conflict resolution are taught and the expectations placed on the relationship are examined and tested to see how real-or-unreal they are. In divorce mediation, FAMSA recommends that couples make use of the crucial resource of divorce counselling in order to minimize painful and negative results. The impact of divorce on children, custody and financial matters are dealt with by discussions taking place with a lawyer as well as a divorce mediation counsellor. FAMSA offers a safety-net of counselling and back-up support to women in abusive relationships. Recent legislation on the issue is shared and practical procedures to ensure the safety of victims and their families are taught. FAMSA also offers a psycho-educational programme for male perpetrators of domestic violence. The aim of the programme is to establish in the minds of the perpetrators that violence as a method of resolving conflict or maintaining control is unacceptable and must be ended and responsibility must be taken for their actions. HIV/AIDS counselling is given to people living with AIDS and their family members, examining the impact of the illness on the relationships of those involved.
Training programmes aimed at equipping community and religious leaders and volunteers with the necessary skills to extend the outreach of FAMSA's existing services, particularly to disadvantaged communities, are also provided. Family Therapy Training Courses are held once a week after hours with the facility of a one-way mirror. Couple therapy and lay counselling training courses are also offered.
