Saudi Arabia accounts for 79pc of all divorces per day in Gulf region JEDDAH: A family guidance counselor has said that a divorce occurs every six minutes in the Kingdom, and that Saudi Arabia accounts for 79 percent of all divorces per day in the wider Gulf region. “This shows a real need for family guidance,” said Abdullah Al-Sadhan, an expert in family counseling, at a training course in Jeddah on telephone counseling skills. “Telephone counseling is particularly important for young married couples who are evidencing the highest rates of divorce.” Al-Sadhan said that in Kuwait 30 percent of couples who receive counseling by telephone go back on their decision to divorce, while the service in Jeddah had produced an even higher success rate of 34 percent. “Telephone counseling is one of the easiest modern means of tackling family problems,” he said. “Everyone knows how to use the telephone, and it provides a good alternative for people who may be reticent to receive counseling. It suits the nature and character of this society.” He said that counselors work to build trust with the other party and ensure confidentiality. “Counselors aim to give the caller 70 percent of the talking time and limit themselves to 30 percent,” Al
