What is Counselling?
Counselling can look different depending on the counsellor you work with, but all our counselling is based on creating a safe and trusting space where you can talk about any difficulties you are facing.
A counsellor can help you untangle tricky thoughts and feelings, making things clearer and easier to understand. They will listen carefully and give you space to share anything on your mind.
Counsellors do not judge you or your challenges. They get to know you and let you lead the sessions, so you can use the time in a way that feels right for you.
We believe that you are the expert on your own life. Through counselling, we hope you will start to feel better and more able to manage what’s going on.
Confidentiality
Counselling offers you confidentiality. This means that what you share with your counsellor will not be shared with others, like your parents, carers, or school. We take confidentiality seriously and hope that this helps make it easier to talk about personal things.
However, there are some limits to confidentiality. If you tell your counsellor something that shows you or someone else is at serious risk of harm, they may need to share it to keep you safe. If this happens, your counsellor will always try to involve you in the decision and explain why it needs to happen.
Your counsellor will go through confidentiality with you in your assessment meeting so you know what to expect and can ask questions.
Types of counselling we offer
Within our counselling service we offer a variety of counselling options:
Some children and young people may find it easier to express themselves through creative art forms like play or drama rather than talking directly with a counsellor. For them, creative therapies may be a more suitable option.
Find out more about creative therapies at Signpost funded by Hertfordshire’s Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services (Herts CYPMHS) at the link below:
If you’re still unsure, please don’t worry! As part of the assessment process, ourselves and Signpost (creative therapies provider) will consider which type of therapy may be most suitable for a child or young person’s needs.
