What Is Counselling?
Sometimes life is not going how we planned or hoped it would.
Sometimes things can seem a little out of control and difficult to deal with.
Sometimes it can be hard to understand and make sense of what is going on.
Sometimes things happen that upset and worry us.
Every now and then we all need support and someone to talk to and we don’t always feel able to talk to friends, family or someone we know.
Counselling and Individual Support offers the time and a safe space to talk with someone who will listen, not judge you or tell you what to do and help you to work things out for yourself.
Counselling is usually a regular fixed appointment on the same day and time each week at Youth Start. Individual Support is more flexible about when, how often and even where meetings take place.
What Can I Talk About?
Whatever is important to you?
Whatever the worry or problem may be?
Whatever issues that may be upsetting you and making your life hard.
It could be they are:-
- Feeling low or depressed
- Feeling anxious or worried
- Having a hard time at home, school, college or with friends
- In a difficult relationship or situation
- Feeling angry or upset
- Dealing with the loss of somebody close to you
- Dealing with other big changes in your life
- Not liking yourself very much and not having much self confidence
- Self-harming
Is It Confidential?
Confidentiality is a very important part of why counselling and Individual Support is helpful. When we feel comfortable and trust someone, it is much easier to talk about our feelings, emotions and what is happening in our life.
We will not speak to anyone else about conversations and sessions with young people, unless we are given permission to do so, or there is a risk to someone’s safety.
You might not know for sure if counselling is for you, so we invite everyone who is interested in Counselling and Individual Support to come to a Welcome Meeting.
A Welcome Meeting is an opportunity to find out more about the support we offer. We answer any questions, talk about what is going on and then decide together on the way forward.
No matter what it is, no matter how big or small it may seem, young people can talk to us.
