A practical way forward when children and adults are under pressure
Start an I Matter® Relationship Health Learning Journey
Stronger Skills. Stronger Relationships and Communities. More Resilience.
Learn simple practical insights and tools to help yourself and others through these challenging times.
Strengthening relationship health starts with the adults
We are living in a time of high stress and uncertainty. Adults and children as well as schools and organisations alike are facing pressures that can sometimes feel overwhelming. So what can YOU do right now to help yourself and help others manage more easily as pressures increase?
Developed for both professionals and families training in the I Matter® Framework and the Five Steps to Success helps make sense of challenging situations by drawing together a wide range of research in child development, parenting, mental health and conflict management in a practical form.
Our psychoeducational approach is practical, and for all roles
You can get started with I Matter self help learning today
However, I Matter has also been designed to help organisations and locality hubs and practitioners progress more joined up thinking with individuals and families by helping all parties gain some shared language, understanding and priorities.
I Matter aims to address some missing elements of current practice by building understanding of the importance of relationship skills to wellbeing.
Training helps individuals and teams respond more confidently to challenges. It helps clarify directions, build resilience, prevent problems and reduce unnecessary escalation.
When you learn the I Matter Framework you know you will have some strong foundations for your decision making.
WHY RELATIONSHIP HEALTH MATTERS?
When relationships struggle, everything struggles - locally and globally
Stress, conflict, mental health, behaviour issues, anxiety, depression, burnout, and communication difficulties all have their roots in relationship health difficulties. Yet most people have never been taught how relationships really work.
Training in the I Matter Framework helps you take charge of what you can change, and let go of what you can't so you can feel more confident, more connected and more aware of the important contributions you can make in everyday situations.
START HERE:
What's your current priority?
I'm a Parent or Carer or Personal Wellbeing Interest
Supporting Yourself and Your Child and Family The I Matter Training gives parents and carers strong foundations to understand what’s happening, respond calmly, work as an effective team with other adults and help children and vulnerable adults thrive
Start Your I Matter Learning Journey
I am a Professional or Practitioner
Prepare for Having More Confidence and Insight in Your Work I Matter Training equips teaching staff, health staff, and youth workers with practical insights, strategies and a shared language to make everyday interactions more effective — in schools, clinics, and community settings.
Make sure you are Relationship Health and I Matter Informed
I am an Organisation Local Leader
Stronger Teams, Thriving Communities The I Matter approach helps organisations and teams progress relationship health insights into organisation practice, building confident teams, resilient children, and empowered local leaders
Become informed and licensed to support preparation, prevention and early intervention
I Matter Training is not another parenting method or therapy model. It offers core relationship health literacy.
The I Matter Framework helps parents and professionals understand key conclusions of decades of research that has shown the central importance of relationships to positive coping across many different situations.
The full I Matter Learning Journey is progressed via an online, self-paced programme. Each licence gives access to learning modules, exercises, and reflection worksheets that help participants gain understanding and skills to apply relationship health concepts in home and work practice. Study support is recommended but optional.
Organisations can purchase licences for staff teams. Once professionals become certified they can become licensed to progress learning opportunities and pathways in their own settings for clients and families.
I Matter is psychoeducational — it is not a therapy or clinical intervention.
We help with integration and making sense of ideas found in diverse traditions and approaches.
HOW THE I MATTER LEARNING JOURNEY WORKS
A simple staged pathway to understanding and improving relationship health
Learn the I Matter Framework (the Theory)
Build strong foundations with 8–12 hours of guided video learning introducing the I Matter Framework and the science behind relationship health.
Living I Matter (Putting Theory to Practice)
Through stronger understanding of symptoms, behaviours and skills for practice for yourself and at least one other person you will develop a customised path to building strength in your own situation. Use expert coaching and a growing library of on-demand resources to apply the framework to real-life situations.
Supporting Others Learning
Progress to I Matter Relationship Health Informed Certification, demonstrating that you can understand, assess and support improvements in relationship health for yourself and others.
Then continue the journey via Link or Lead Professional roles
THE I MATTER LEARNING JOURNEY HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
I Matter is structured in phases that individuals and organisations can progress in a flexible fashion.
FREE
Introduction
Learn why this project started and why it is needed
Phase 1
Get Started
Discover the I Matter Model
and the Community Wheel
Phase 2
Fundamentals
Learn the I Matter Framework Relationship Health Theory
Phase 3
Deep Dive
Progress Theory to Practice with Deep Dive Learning
I MATTER LEARNING CAN BE PROGRESSED IN VARIED WAYS.
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Self-Help Self-Paced Online learning is the foundation
ideal for flexibility when there is a need to gain a general understanding with a focus on prevention and early intervention and a desire to get started promptly - suitable for a wide variety of audiences - Some scheduled study support options for professionals and linked parents
Study support is recommended and can be informal or more formal and can include workshops and discussion and 1:1 consultations. Organisations can develop their own pathways. -
Personalised coaching… with experienced local practitioners
I Matter can be used as a targeted intervention with personalised coaching of varied levels of intensity enabling participants to have the benefits of learning to approach challenging situations.
WHAT MAKES I MATTER DIFFERENT?
+ We focus on adult and young person wellbeing
Relationship Health is an umbrella and a foundation concept that brings together decades of strong research evidence on wellbeing.
+ There are clear, practical steps and powerful posters
The I Matter Five Steps to Success offers a roadmap that can be used immediately. There are 24 key ideas in the I Matter Framework.
+ The ideas are applicable across ages & roles
The same principles strengthen adult–adult and adult–child relationships.
+ We emphasise understanding, not just quick fixes
We focus on learning that lasts and on capacity that grows
Improving adult and child well-being
for difficult times starts with solid foundations!
HOW I MATTER TRAINING MAKES A DIFFERENCE?
We strengthen adults before asking them to support children
We build understanding, not just strategies
We offer staged learning, not pressure to “do it all”
We support real-world application, not short-term initiatives
THE I MATTER COMMUNITY WHEEL
The I Matter Community Wheel is a key part of the way that we think about the applications of I Matter in Action but also about the vital role of community. The Wheel helps promote ongoing conversations about relationship health.
On signing up for the I Matter Learning Journey you also become a member of the I Matter Community Wheel Online
The Wheel is designed to support schools and primary care with a practical, low demand way of engaging reflection on issues that often get overlooked. LEARN MORE
I Matter Training can support:
GENERAL RELATIONSHIP HEALTH LITERACY - SELF HELP
PREPARATION FOR PROFESSIONAL AND PARENTING ROLES - CERTIFICATES
STRENGTHENING CONFIDENCE - EARLY INTERVENTION
RECOVERY OF RELATIONSHIP HEALTH
ADDITIONAL NEEDS
I Matter Training helps you work towards priorities that matter most to you and your home and work teams.
I MATTER CERTIFIED PRACTITIONERS
Think, Formulate, Communicate, Educate
The I Matter Relationship Health Certified Practitioner pathway develops professionals’ ability to recognise and work with relationship health issues
Professionals and organisations can progress enhanced support roles (Link / Lead) to help embed learning locally
I Matter Lead Practitioners can progress relationship health understanding through entry level workshops and support for online learning. LEARN MORE
WHO WE WORK WITH?
We work with organisations, professionals, and communities to make relationship-health learning accessible, practical, and sustainable, equipping participants to work better together.
Schools | Primary Care | Community | Therapists | Parents | Adult-Adult | Personal Wellbeing
LOCALITY HUBS
We believe that local community is a key element for relationship health
So we have been working to develop a locality hub model starting in the Kendal area.
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I Matter Training
The Kendal Integrated Care Community has adopted the I Matter Framework as a foundation for our thinking about how to work together in our community to help those who are struggling. Professionals and non-professionals are learning together. It feels good.
Dr Amy Lee , GP Safeguarding Lead Kendal Integrated Care Community
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I Matter Training
The I Matter approach of considering the adults needs alongside those of the children is such a useful way to look at things and has turned the dynamics on its head for me. I have realised my stress levels are having a huge impact on all of us as a family and learning to change this is starting to make a difference.
Parent , parent of teenager with challenges
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I Matter Training
EVERY teacher and parent would benefit from this programme. Parent carers are a group of people I would like to get this to. This would be a fantastic opportunity to bring a very isolated group of people together to improve the situation they are in.
Carer support professional , Children and adults of all ages
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I Matter Training
I am a HLTA but also a parent and foster carer. I work with primary aged children, have 3 teenagers, and foster toddlers! This programme has been so valuable for each and every relationship I encounter on a daily basis.
Higher Level Teaching Assistant and Foster Carer , Trained for work and home purposes
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I Matter Training
This programme has had a big impact on my own well-being which has meant that I have been more able to cope better with the expected and unexpected aspects of life in a calmer rational manner!!
School Leader , Key Stage 4 Leader and Parent
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I Matter Training
The first videos and questions really got me thinking. I realised how isolated I had let myself become and that this was not helping me or my child. I took action the next day and phoned a friend. I also made another follow-up appointment to speak with my GP.
Anonymous , Parent
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I Matter Training
The first time I worked through the videos and questions I didn't really understand what they were all about. By the third time I really understood what was being asked. At first we were really stuck. However It has been exciting to see the progress.
Parent , Parent of child with explosive behaviour
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I Matter Training
This training has been so much more than I expected it to be. I have learned so many things that have changed my understanding of myself and of my child. I have worked with many services before this but this has really made the difference. Now I know why I Matter
Anonymous , Parent of child with additional needs
WHY INVEST YOUR TIME NOW?
"The world is becoming more challenging for young people and adults — at home, at work, and in our communities. Investing in your own understanding and skills for relationship health and confidence is urgent and time well spent".
"By learning about relationship health and an I Matter Approach, and developing your confidence and skills, you’ll be better equipped to navigate challenges, support your children and family members and teams, and create lasting positive change in home, work place and community."
ABOUT DR CATHY BETOIN
I Matter Training grew from 20+ years of clinical experience across child and adult mental health, education, community practice and family support. Today it provides grounded, accessible learning for people who want to progress healthier relationships in everyday life.
Dr Cathy Betoin, Clinical Psychologist, Teacher, Parent
53 Stramongate
Kendal
La94BH
United Kingdom
