Hello everyone! We hope that you enjoyed seeing all the incredible work that volunteers do as much as we did, and maybe you even got involved yourself! It’s been a busy few weeks since we first launched the blog, so we thought we’d use this opportunity after Volunteers’ Week, to properly introduce ourselves and tell you about some of the support that CMHC offers for you and the community.
At CMHC, we specialise in counselling. But what is counselling? And what can it do for you? If you’ve not experienced it before, you might not be completely sure what to expect, or even what it is that you might gain from it. The BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) have written extensively about what counselling is and what to expect from a session, but we really liked their quote: “A counsellor will not give you their opinions or advice or prescribe medication. They will help you find your own solutions – whether that’s making effective changes in your life or finding ways of coping with your problems.” That’s exactly what we’re setting out to achieve at CMHC, helping you to find your own solutions and focusing on your experiences to help you move forward.
We offer counselling from both trainee and trained counsellors on a sliding scale to suit your financial circumstances. We have counsellors that specialise in all manner of issues, for example: Depression, anxiety, stress, trauma, relationship problems, bereavement, and loss. We’re here to help you in whatever struggles you might be facing in life.
It’s easy to access help at our centre. It’s as simple as filling out a self-referral form on our web-page which will provide us with your details, and a brief explanation of what has brought you to us. Our team will assess your referral and assign you a counsellor that best suits your needs. A completely stress-free process for you, with a focus on ease and accessibility. At the moment, while we adjust to ‘the new normal’ we’ve adapted our counselling so that it can be undertaken over the phone or online, and this means that you can be wherever is most comfortable to you whilst you have your counselling.
We asked our clients their thoughts on the counselling they received from CMHC, and the following comments reflect their responses:
“I was surprised by how quickly I was offered an appointment and counsellor. The information was clear and accessible, and the process of payment etc. was easy to follow.”
“My counsellor was extremely responsive to the type of counselling I needed, and I felt comfortable in our sessions. Given the restrictions from Covid, it still felt very personal and accessible. Setting and achieving specific goals was also really useful in helping me feel like I had moved forward and gained something tangible from these sessions.”
So, if you feel like you need some support, we’re here and ready to help you – speak to you soon!
If you require some help sooner, please remember that there are other organisations available to support you:
Samaritans | Samaritans are available for free telephone conversation 24/7, 365 days a year. Call 116 123.
Hub of Hope | A national mental health database, bringing help and support together in one place.
Mind | Mind has some amazing resources available for free.
SHOUT | Text SHOUT to 85258 for free, confidential support.
