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1) What will happen when I arrive?
You will see the same counsellor at the same time every week for 50 minutes and sessions can last up to twelve weeks. If you would prefer 30 minutes, that can also be arranged.
For a full account of what happens when you contact No5 for Counselling click here.
2) What will my Counsellor do?
Your Counsellor will offer you an uninterrupted 50 minutes, or half-hour if you prefer, where you will be carefully listened to and encouraged to freely and openly share as much about your situation as you wish.
Your Counsellor will help you deal with your concerns and support you in a non-judgemental way to make your own decisions. The confidentiality of the counselling relationship will be explained to you.
3) Will Counselling help me?
Counselling is for anyone who feels they need to work on the kinds of difficulties discussed above and who would value the support of a counsellor in doing this.
Counsellors acknowledge your right to choose your focus for the counselling session and believe that, with respectful support, you can find the best solution to your difficulties.
You are very welcome to make one appointment initially, and to discuss with one of us whether you would find counselling suitable for you.
4) What type of people do you see?
No 5 is primarily funded by Reading Borough Council and therefore we have a responsibility towards young people aged between 11 to 24 years of age. If a young person is attending counselling then his/her sister, brother, parent or even a friend can receive counselling too, although different counsellors will generally see them all separately.
5) Can I bring a friend with me?
Yes you can bring a friend, or anybody you would like to come with you. They are welcome to wait in the waiting room.
6) Will you tell anybody I'm having counselling? Will my parents find out?
Absolutely not.
No one outside of No 5 is given information without discussing it with you first. This even applies when someone else suggests you should come to No 5 for counselling such as your parents, teacher, doctor, social worker etc.
We do take some basic information (statistics) from you for our own knowledge of clients coming into the agency and this information is passed on to the organisations that give money to our agency, but we don't pass on any information that would identify who you are.
Occasionally we may need to inform other people such as Social Services if we believe that you may be at risk under the child protection law. This includes if you are in serious harm, or if you are harming another person. In theses cases we will always discuss these issues with you, keep you informed of what's happening and support you and we will only pass on information if it is really necessary.
7) What if I have been sent to No 5 but I don't want counselling?
No one will make you do anything against your wishes. You will be able to tell your counsellor if you are not happy about being at No 5, and he or she will understand and not attempt to make you stay.
8) What if it's not me but someone else who needs help?
We can help you to look at how another person's actions and behaviour leave you feeling. We can also help you decide how to manage things, and what you might need to tell the other person. We cannot make someone come for help.
9) How can I contact you for an appointment?
You can email us on justask@no5.org.uk.
- You can call us on 0118 901 5668
- Call in during our opening hours
- Alternatively just click here.
10) Could I see a Counsellor somewhere else and not at the agency?
Yes, we do have counsellors in various schools in Reading . They are Little Heath, Kendrick, John Madejski Academy , Denefield, Reading Girls, Reading Boys, and Highdown. If you telephone us we can give you the name of the person at the school that would be able to make an appointment for you.
11) Does it hurt?
Counselling is not a physically painful process – nothing like a trip to the dentist. It can be an uncomfortable process and you might feel some strong emotional hurtful feelings, but your counsellor will be aware of this and will give you lots of support.
12) Will I be forced to answer a question?
The counsellor will ask you questions to support you get over your current difficulties. If you find any question too tough, or don't fully understand what the counsellor is going on about, just let the counsellor know and they will try to find out how best to support you using a different method.
13) Will it finish when I want it to?
In the first session you and your counsellor will discuss how long session will last – usually 30 minutes to 50 minutes. If at anytime you are having a bad session and want to end early simply mention this to your counsellor and they will support you in whatever you want to do. We don't want to keep you in a counselling session when you do not want to be there but sometimes it is a good idea to try to finish a session to understand what your difficulty is.
14) Will I be judged?
Counselling is non-judgemental. The counsellor is simply there to listen to you and guide you into finding solutions for your problems. Your counsellor is experienced and has heard many different problems. No matter how enormous you think your problem is, the counsellor will not pass judgement on you or tell you what to do.
15) Will I feel under pressure to tell someone else?
No. You do not have to tell anyone else you've been to No 5 or about what you've talked about. It might be wise to think about whether you would like anyone close around you knowing what you are going through so that they can support you too. |
