The Service
The Affordable Service at North Kent Mind is delivered by qualified and trainee counsellors who volunteer to take on this work. We currently have 40 counsellors, providing a service to around 120 clients at any one time. The service is available to clients by arrangement at various times and locations to suit you.
Affordable Counselling and Therapy is available to anyone in the area, as long as they are aged 18 or over, and prepared to meet the fee.
What kind of counselling is available?
Our counsellors, from all genders and ages come from different walks of life and different cultural backgrounds.
Our counsellors are trained in different modalities and we strive to match the needs of the client with the skills and approach of the particular counsellor.
How do I refer?
Self referrals, or referrals from any professional, can be made by phone or using our online referral form. We will then contact you to discuss your needs, to explain the charging system, and to tell you of how long you can expect to wait before counselling will start. As this is a popular service, there is a waiting list. Sometimes we may suggest another service at North Kent Mind which may be more appropriate to your needs.
So, how much do you charge?
Initial assessment costs £15, with ongoing costs of £15 per session. There is a cap of 2 years to receive this service.
The Affordable Counselling and Therapy Service is designed for people who have counselling needs not able to be met through the NHS service ,where long term work is more appropriate or who wish to work further on issues once their NHS-allocated therapy is completed.
What is expected of clients?
Clients will be charged for each session by a weekly direct debit. If you are going to be away on a planned holiday, we need 4 weeks notice of this in advance.
We request that clients complete a feedback form at the end of the counselling, so we have some way of knowing how useful the service has been to you and any areas for improvement.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality is a key part of the counselling relationship, and counsellors are trained to keep the content of counselling sessions confidential. However, from time to time a counsellor might have serious concerns about the safety of the client, or others. In these rare circumstances, it is appropriate for the counsellor to discuss this with us. All this is explained in the counselling agreement signed by clients.
Aims of the Affordable Counselling and Therapy Service:
- To offer a high quality, low-cost counselling service. Minimum age of clients is 18 years.
- To provide clients with space and time to work with an individual counsellor to meet their individual needs.
- To create positive changes in clients’ lives by addressing specific problems, identifying ways of coping, developing personal insight, understanding thoughts and feelings, and considering the implications of actions that may be taken.
- To encourage clients to make appropriate use of other services provided by North Kent Mind or other agencies.
- To provide a counselling service which is also appropriate to the needs of people with significant mental health issues.