Counselling through a charity

[Littlefishtin]

Does anyone have any experience of this? Do you pay a reduced fee or are you limited to a certain amount of sessions?

Limited sessions usually. If its MIND/Healthy Minds its usually 6 sessions of CBT or 12 sessions of high intensity CBT. Was useless to me, I'm much better since I saved up for private therapy and chose my own therapist. Trauma work takes time and a strong relationship with the therapist. MIND did more harm than good.

It depends on the charity, I know some who do a limited number of sessions, some do longer term work, some charge a small fee, some offer free services and some look for a full fee from those who can afford it (to support the work with those who can’t). I’d always check though that the counsellor is fully qualified, many charities use trainees on placement who don’t get paid for their work to facilitate free counselling.

Thanks so much both of you

If cost is an issue - don't necessarily discount charities where you are working with a student.

What matters is if you get the connection on the first meeting.

Students are (usually) very very invested in helping and they do (and have to) get supervision.

Many counsellors are great BUT once qualified there is no way of knowing ir they are getting supervision and even if they are it doesn't necessarily have a beneficial effect.

Many paid ones are great but there are plenty who are not. It always depends on the rapport you have with the counsellor - probably more than their chosen method.

Thank you, I was worried about getting into something and then having to stop as sessions run out.