I think I need counselling

What is counselling?

Think of counselling as a safe private space where you can talk about anything that’s on your mind with a person called a counsellor.

• Its not about them telling you what to do,
• its not about them judging you.
• It is about them listening to you
• It is about them helping you to figure things out
• Our counsellors are person-centred; this means that you are the one who decides what to talk about in the sessions.

Why do people go to counselling?

People go to counselling for all sorts of reasons

Basically, if it’s stressing you out, confusing you, or making you feel down, it’s a good reason to go!

Common reasons might include:

• Stress and Pressure: Feeling overwhelmed by school, education, work, unemployment or housing/living situations.
• Friendship and Relationship Issues: Arguments with friends, feeling lonely, or dealing with breakups.
• Family Troubles: Difficulties at home or changes in the family.
• Big Feelings: Dealing with sadness, anxiety, anger, or feeling worried all the time.
• Self-Esteem: Not feeling good enough or struggling with body image.
• Major Life Changes: Moving house or changing school

How it works 

• You complete a self-referral; it’s really important you have decided to access counselling and not feel pressured by someone else to come. (if you are under 13, we may need to check with your parent/carer is ok with you seeing us, and sharing your information with us)
• Once the referral form is completed, you are automatically added to our waiting list; wait times vary, but the more availability you give us, the quicker you’re likely to be seen. Our team will stay in touch to keep you updated about appointments.
• Whilst you’re on our waiting list, we have a team of volunteers who will regularly call you to check in on how youre doing. They can answer any questions and may give you some information that may support you whilst you’re waiting.
• You will be offered a one-off appointment called an initial assessment. This is not a counselling session, but a meeting with a counsellor to give you an understanding of what counselling is all about and how it may help you, and for the counsellor to get a good understanding of what is going on for you right now. Depending on what you share and what you would like to focus on, we will consider whether we are the right service to provide the support you need.
• Once the initial assessment is complete, and if we are the right service for you, you will be offered up to 8 weekly sessions  (6 sessions for parent/carer) of counselling.
• If we feel there is a better service to support your needs, we will provide you with the information needed to access that service.

What this will look like

• Your weekly sessions will be on the same day and time and with the same counsellor. Take a look at our “Meet The Team” page here
• You will have the same room each week. Take a look at our office tour here 
• Your sessions will last up to 50 minutes each week.
• You have the choice of face to face, online or telephone sessions.
• We have counselling rooms in Leigh Park, Emsworth, Hayling and Bordon. 

Important: Confidentiality

One of the most important things is that everything you say is kept private (confidential). Your counsellor won’t share your conversations with your parents, teachers, or friends. 

The only time OTR would ever have to break confidentiality is if we thought you or someone else was in danger. We would discuss this with you first, unless we believed that this could increase the risk to you or others.

Parent Support

Support options to help parents/carers to develop the knowledge, confidence and tools needed to support young people