Navigating stress, healing from trauma, managing anxiety, or strengthening your relationships Book A Consultation
There are 2 ways to request counselling with us.
We will send you one of our counselling packs. If you've contacted our office directly and not via online we will also send you a short form to complete and return to us.
We will then contact you to arrange an initial appointment.
We aim to see you within 2 weeks of receiving your application. This appointment will be made for you to meet a senior member of the counselling team. This will be like a counselling session, you will have time to talk and explain what your needs are. The terms of counselling will be explained more fully and you will have the opportunity to ask questions.
A counselling session lasts for 50 minutes. How many sessions you require will depend largely on the presenting issues. You will be offered up to 12 sessions, within which you and your counsellor will review the work from time to time. You are free to discuss terminating your counselling at any point with your counsellor or a member or staff.
Our aim is to provide you with counselling at a day and time that works for you. Our counsellors are here Monday to Friday, within the hours of 8:30am to 8:30pm. Your appointment will always be at the same time each week.
Following your initial assessment there will be a waiting period before you get your first counselling session. This can be cut down, depending on what preferences you gave for your availability. It is our aim to get you into counselling within twelve weeks from the time you first contacted the agency.
All our counsellors are qualified to a minimum of Diploma level or are in the final Diploma year of training. Senior counsellors are working towards accreditation with The British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP) and are here at HELP Counselling Services voluntarily.
The relationship between counsellor and client is unique and outside the family circle and friendships. It is based on the development of trust and confidentiality. Within counselling you will be encouraged to talk and the counsellor will listen, giving prompts if you get stuck and helping you look at your problem from different angles.
It is essential that you feel safe within counselling. Your counsellor is bound by The Ethical Framework laid down by The BACP and will not disclose any information about your work together. The exception is in the most serious cases, where we believe you or another person is at serious risk of harm.
All counsellors take part in supervision which ensures the safety of the work. Initial notes are taken and your counsellor may take ongoing notes, but your privacy will be respected by using a carefully disguised form.
You, your counsellor and the office team share the responsibility for making your agreement work.
If you do not attend an appointment without giving notice, you will be contacted. If there is no response a final letter will be sent, formally ending your agreement with us.
HELP Counselling Services is a low-cost service. We ask every client to give generously towards the cost of counselling. Each session costs the service £50, and every penny you contribute goes straight back into the charity.
If you are unable to regularly afford the minimum contribution of £5 per session, please talk to your counsellor during your initial appointment.
| Family Income (Per Year) | Recommended Contribution (Per Session) |
|---|---|
| Under £20,000 | £5 |
| £20,000 to £30,000 | £10 |
| £30,000 to £35,000 | £15 |
| £35,000 to £40,000 | £25 |
| £40,000 + | £30 to £50 |
Missed appointments incur costs for the service, increase waiting times to new clients and reduces the effectiveness of counselling.
