Money worries and a 'Hollywood ideal' of relationships are among the reasons counselling service Relate expects a spike in calls in the new year. Some couples and families will have had a 'really difficult time' over the festive period, with so much expectation to have a great Christmas, and for some people issues 'add up and become this big pressure cooker that just explodes'. Calls to Relate's national phone line rose by 53 per cent on the first Monday of January 2014 compared with the first Monday of December 2013, with appointment bookings increasing by 86 per cent. Couples feel pressured by 'perfect' relationships depicted by Hollywood, says counsellor Priscilla Sim
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January is a 'time of reflection' and an opportunity for a new start
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Christmas  creates high expectations and puts pressure on relationships
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40 per cent of marriage troubles are caused by money worries
'I think in society, in glossy magazines and on TV, we're kind of expected to have this @placeholder ideal of relationships.