How can counselling help?
People usually come for counselling because they are experiencing difficulties in their lives, such as coping with bereavement or a divorce, or because they are experiencing unhappy thoughts or unpleasent feelings, perhaps associated with the past. Needing counselling doesn't mean you are 'mad' or odd. Most of us struggle with things at some point in our lives and there's no shame in getting help. World wide, millions of people have already been helped by counselling.
Counselling helps you to understand your feelings and problems better. By doing this you are more likely to be able to overcome your difficulties, let go of bad feelings and see a way forward. Here are some of the things people typically come for counselling about:
- Feeling depressed
- Feeling anxious
- Feeling unable to cope with life
- Feeling lonely
- Difficulties with relatives
- Fear of going out or going far from home
- Sadness following the death of a loved one
- Health problems
But you may come for counselling about anything that's troubling you.
Person centred
The counselling we offer is know as person centred counselling, based on the ideas and practice of Carl Rogers. It's a 'talking therapy' and doesn't involve analysis or exercises. Rather, it's just you and the counsellor talking. By being empathic, non-judgemental and genuine, your counsellor can help you explore your problems and come to your own insights, awareness and conclusions about them.
Confidential
Everything you tell your counsellor is kept confidential to the counselling service and his/her professional supervisor. The only exception would be where we had a duty to break your confidentiality, for example if you disclosed an intention to harm yourself or someone else. Such occasions are rare.
How we've helped others
Here's what some of the 350 plus people who've had counselling from our volunteers have said about their experience:
"Thank you for lifting my grief, depression and pain."
"They would listen when others would not."
"I can start to live and smile again, giving me strength and confidence to carry on."
"I do not know what I would have done without you. You kept my head above water."
The Counselling Service: what we can offer
Our counselling service is specifically tailored to the needs of people over 50. We have over seven years'
experience of counselling people in later life. Our counsellors are used to being with older people and listening to the problems they present. We offer the following:
- Two counselling rooms at our office on Shakespeare Street, Nottingham
- Home visits for counselling if more appropriate
- Trained counsellors
- Immediate access to a range of other services provided for older people by Age UK Nottingham & Nottinghamshire
- A service that has corporate membership of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy, the main governing body for counselling, and abides by its ethical standards and practices.
Contribution
Our service doesn't recieve enough charitable funding to enable us to offer counselling for free so we do need to ask our clients to make a small contribution of just £6 towards it. These contributions are flexible where people are experiencing particular hardships and this would be discussed on an individual basis at the free initial assessment meeting. Please don't be put off by the charges. Even if you think you can't afford counselling, give us a call and we'll be happy to discuss your individual circumstances.
Contact us
You can access our service by phoning 0115 919 4876 and speaking to our Counselling Service Co-ordinator. Someone else may refer you as long as they have your permission.