Young people

Life can sometimes feel like a maze. We wander round and round without finding our way out. Talking about a problem in counselling can be like finding our way out of the maze. 

We all have worries and fears that can affect our lives and many people find that talking them through and being understood can help make things better. Remember that there is always a way out of a maze!

You may find it difficult to talk to family or friends and a counsellor can offer you the time and space to talk and think which is confidential. This means I won’t tell anyone else what you have said. There are a few exceptions to this, like if you tell me about someone hurting you or someone else but I will tell you more about this when you come and see me.

You might want to see a counsellor because you are…

• Feeling lonely 
• Being bullied 
• Thinking about suicide or self harming  
• Having problems at school 
• Upset by the death of someone close to you 
• Dealing with sexual abuse - past or present 
• Worried about your weight 
• Dealing with arguments in the family 
• Going through parents separating or divorcing
• Using drugs or alcohol and want to stop 
• Worrying about having sex or your sexuality

This list is just a start. If you are worried about anything then talking it through can often help. Nothing is too big or too small to talk about.

What will happen when you come and see me?

We will arrange a time that is good for both of us to meet. I will invite you and your parents / carers to come along with you so I can get an understanding of what the issue may be from all sides. I will then ask them to leave the room so we can have a chat on our own. 

If you decide that you want to come back for more sessions then we will arrange this. We would see each other weekly for six weeks whilst checking out that you are getting what you want from the sessions. We can then arrange for more if this is what you would like. 

I won’t discuss our sessions with your parents / carers unless I am really worried about something you say that could mean you are at risk. We can also invite your parents into the sessions if this is what you would like.