Young People Counselling
Young people counselling is a talking therapy that allows you to explore your feelings and make sense of how your thinking affects how you deal with your problems. It can be very beneficial to young people who are experiencing a range of issues such as anxiety, low mood, anger, bereavement, low self-esteem, low confidence, relationship difficulties and bullying.
Counselling is a safe space that allows you to explore your feelings, to let out what is bothering you and to help you feel better. It not only builds self-esteem & confidence, it also encourages self-awareness and the development of positive mental health coping strategies.
It is important that every young person is treated as an individual and I work in a way that meets each young person’s needs whilst working at their own pace, using a variety of methods to achieve the best outcome for them.
Benefits of having young people counselling with me
- I will support you to open up and allow you to explore how you are feeling
- I will work with you to help you understand what you want to change in your life
- We will look at building your confidence and self-esteem, allowing you to work out for yourself what makes you feel, stressed, angry or anxious
- I can support you to build a ‘toolbox’ of strategies to help you deal with your problems and make lasting changes in your life
Questions for parents and guardians
What happens at the initial consultation?
This appointment is usually 30 minutes and is an opportunity for your child to tell me in their own words what is going on for them. Parents are welcome to sit in on this one if this is their wish and the child is ok with it. I will ask them to tell me in their own words what is going on for them and ask some questions to find out a little more about their life. They are free to be as open and as honest as they want and only if they feel comfortable.
How long are the sessions and how many will they need?
As with adult counselling, the sessions are 50 minutes long and usually happen once a week. If you and your child would like to proceed after the initial consultation I usually recommend 6-12 sessions and review at session 5. Counselling can be stopped at any time and I will go in to more detail about this at the initial consultation.
Can I sit with my child during their counselling session?
A key feature of my counselling service is that the information discussed in the counselling session is treated confidentially. Counselling is a time when it’s ok to talk about concerns without fear of them being discussed elsewhere. This includes not discussing the work with parents, carers, or other adults unless the young person requests or gives consent for this. This can be hard to accept at times, but ensuring confidentiality of the work is crucial for establishing trust so that young people feel confident to speak openly and freely about what is concerning them.
What will happen during my child’s counselling session?
All counselling sessions are unique, some young people know how they want to spend their time and are happy to sit and talk. Others may take a little time to open up and would prefer a more creative way of working such as drawing and colouring in, completing worksheets about feelings and emotions, playing Jenga and card games or using stones and buttons. All of these ways of working are different yet they offer a young person the opportunity to explore what’s going on for them in a way that they feel comfortable.
How will you safeguard my child?
I am fully committed to the safety and wellbeing of all my clients, and as such I am fully qualified, DBS checked (enhanced), insured and an accredited member of the National Counselling Society. I have had specific safeguarding training and have procedures in place should there be a safeguarding concern.