From Relate to Talk, Listen, Change: The Story Behind Our Relationship Counselling Service
4-6 minute read.
When people search for relationship counselling, one of the most familiar names they find is Relate. For decades, Relate has been a trusted resource for couples and families seeking support.
What many people don’t realise is that our parent charity, TLC: Talk, Listen, Change (TLC), actually began as part of the Relate Federation. This history matters because it explains the depth of experience behind the relationship counselling we offer today through Now You’re Talking Therapy – the commercial subsidiary of TLC.
Growing out of Relate: Our relationship counselling roots
TLC was formerly Relate Greater Manchester South, providing relationship counselling, mediation, and support to individuals, couples, and families across the region. In 2013, under Chief Executive Michelle Hill’s leadership, the charity began to envision a future where it could be more flexible, more independent, and even more rooted in local communities.
That vision became reality on 1 April 2017, when the organisation stepped away from the Relate network and relaunched as TLC: Talk, Listen, Change. The new name captured something fresh and approachable while keeping the focus on what mattered most: supporting people to build safe, healthy, and happy relationships.
A new kind of relationship counselling charity
Since becoming TLC, the organisation has grown rapidly. Today it delivers:
- Relationship counselling for individuals and couples
- Family support services
- Behaviour-change programmes for those wanting to make positive changes
Alongside its charitable work, TLC also created Now You’re Talking Therapy in 2024. This therapy service provides expert therapy for people across the UK, with profits reinvested directly into the work of TLC.
Behind the scenes, TLC has built a strong foundation: almost 200 staff, a national reach, and more than £4 million a year invested in vital services. That growth has made TLC a trusted voice in relationship support.
Coming full circle: Expanding relationship counselling reach
In April 2025, the TLC Group welcomed another former Relate centre into its family: Relate Bradford & Leeds. Relaunched as Let’s Talk Relationships (LTR), this organisation continues the mission of offering relationship counselling and support to those who need it most, now with the strength of TLC’s wider network behind it.
Why this matters for relationship counselling today
It’s easy to think of relationship counselling services as simply a practical resource, but TLC’s journey shows how much values and vision matter too.
From its origins as Relate Greater Manchester South to its role today as an independent, forward-thinking charity, TLC has never lost sight of its core belief: that strong, respectful relationships transform lives.
At Now You’re Talking Therapy, we’re proud to carry that belief into every relationship counselling session we provide.
Whether you’re looking for relationship counselling for yourself, your partner, or your family, our experienced therapists are here to help you talk, listen, and create the change you need.
Helen Stuart is the managing director of Now You’re Talking, a profit-for-purpose organisation that provides flexible, tailored therapy to adults, couples, children and young people, and workplaces.
Helen is passionate about making professional mental health support accessible to all.
