How can counselling help?

Counselling can help if you are:

• suffering from anxiety, panic attacks or depression
• feeling confused and unable to cope or lack confidence
• having difficulties within personal or family relationships
• experiencing any kind of loss, bereavement or trauma
• facing a problem which is hard to talk about or resolve
• experiencing stress or problems related to your work

We understand that counselling is probably a new experience for most people. We provide a safe place to talk, to a skilled counsellor, who will listen and help you understand how past experiences, worries about the future, or lack of self-confidence may be affecting your life. Counselling will help you reflect on how you respond to events and explore the way you deal with relationships.

You can bring thoughts and feelings, which you may not feel able to share with friends or family. Your counsellor will not tell you what to do, or give advice or guidance but will help you to make your own choices. Information regarding the services we provide for couples and families is contained in separate leaflets – ‘Relationship Counselling’ and ‘The Family Project’

Is the counselling confidential?

We provide a confidential setting in all our venues. You are free to talk safely, without fear of rejection, criticism or blame. The confidentiality of the relationship between GCS and those seeking counselling is fully protected within current legislation.

How long does it take?

We will work with you to decide what is most appropriate. This may be counselling over an open-ended period of time or time-limited focused counselling for an agreed number of weeks. Most clients attend once weekly, and for counselling to be effective you will need to make a regular weekly commitment.

Starting counselling

On contacting the Service you will be sent a Registration Form and questionnaire. When you return these with the Registration Fee we will contact you to arrange an assessment at one of our venues. Please note we operate an ‘appointments only’ system and cannot see anyone who ‘drops in’.

The assessment

We work hard to ensure we do not have a waiting list; assessment interviews are usually carried out within a week of registration with ongoing counselling promptly after this. The assessment will explore your problems with you and assess your needs and whether the services we offer can help you.

After the assessment

Following the assessment arrangements can be made for regular weekly sessions; ongoing sessions last 50 minutes. We aim to start your counselling as soon as possible and you can help speed things up by being as flexible as possible about the times you can come for counselling. Please note that evening sessions are in great demand.