Counselling and Psychotherapy

“My experience with Mind has been emotional, a roller coaster. I’m blown away by the power of therapy. Instant and ongoing results. For those who live an easy minded life, you can never comprehend. If it wasn’t for Mind, I’d be costing the tax payer a lot of money. And my family would be too. I believe I’ve been the one person to break the cycle of madness, joblessness, addiction and pain in my family tree. Well to some degree, he he. Mind saved me from the brink. If only it could be statutory!” - Counselling Service User.

Making a Referral

There is currently a waiting period of 2 to 4 weeks for an assessment interview.

To refer yourself or a client for counselling, please use our online referral form, or complete a paper Referral Form and email to counselling@cityandhackneymind.org.uk

Alternatively please contact counselling@cityandhackneymind.org.uk for an application form.

Counselling & Psychotherapy

City and Hackney Mind offers an integrative counselling and psychotherapy practice to people who live and work in Hackney and the City. Services are aimed at people who find it difficult to access talking therapies. There are various specialist projects, including group work.

The aim of the Counselling and Psychotherapy Service is to:

• Provide a psychotherapeutic service that is culturally and linguistically appropriate. We provide a Turkish service and a limited service is provided in the following languages: French, Spanish, Turkish, Polish, Amharic, Farsi and Portuguese.
• Enable clients experiencing emotional distress to gain insight to understand the cause of the distress and to develop coping skills.

Why you might seek counselling and psychotherapy

• Relationship problems with partners, children, parents or relatives.
• Abuse: sexual, physical and emotional
• Bereavement: recent or past
• Depression
• Stress and anxiety
• Loneliness & Isolation

How Counselling and Psychotherapy can help you

Counselling and Psychotherapy can offer you:

• The opportunity to share your thoughts and feelings with experienced and qualified professionals.
• Help to gain insights into your emotional and psychological difficulties and be supported in identifying the choices available to you.
• Help to express your emotional feelings. This will enable you to reduce or avoid the stresses that cause emotional and mental distress in the future.
• Help to understand yourself better and learn skills that will help you take responsibility for your own life, choices and decisions.
• Support to develop your confidence and self-esteem.

Confidentiality

All personal material shared or disclosed to a counsellor or therapist is strictly confidential to the counsellor and their clinical supervisor.

Code of Ethics

City and Hackney Mind Counselling and Psychotherapy Service is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). This means we abide by the BACP Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy. More information at www.bacp.co.uk

Group Work

Each year, we offer groups in Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy and Anger Management. Please use the above contact details to obtain further information on our groups.

Yoga for the Mind: A Blend of Powerful techniques to manage Depression. Monday mornings from 10-12pm starting 23rd of January 2012. Click here to download leaflet information.

Trauma and Refugee Counselling

The Trauma and Refugee project offers specialist trauma counselling for people who live and work in Hackney. As a refugee you may want to talk about the things that have happened to you including, for example, loss of family and a way of life, or adapting to a new country and culture. We offer a number of services that will also support you in sorting out some of your practical needs.

If you have had a traumatic experience we offer counselling to help you through the difficulties you may be experiencing, and hopefully to regain the trust and confidence you may have lost. Whatever your trauma, whether you were involved in a road traffic accident, if you were abused as a child, have experienced domestic violence, or violence of any nature, we may be able to help.

BME Counselling

City and Hackney Mind offers counselling and therapeutic support to people from BME (Black and Minority Ethnic) communities. Often people from these communities find it difficult to access talking therapies with mainstream services. City and Hackney Mind aims to provide a counselling service that takes into account the cultural and racial aspects of a client’s experience.

Prescribed Drugs Project

We provide a service to people who are taking prescribed drugs, such as tranquillisers, sleeping pills, antidepressants and antipsychotic drugs. The service is open to anyone who lives or works in Hackney or the City.

We provide information about the drugs, such as their side effects, correct use and the reasons they are prescribed. We can also provide specialist advice about coming off minor tranquillisers or sleeping pills. In conjunction with your GP, we can help you draw up a withdrawal programme and support you through it.

SureStart

City and Hackney Mind together with Sure Start are working together to provide counselling services for parents and carers with children aged 5 and below. Our aim is to improve the health and opportunities for families and children. Counselling can help you to gain insight and understanding into the problems you face daily. It can also help us to better understand thoughts and feelings and helps build self esteem and confidence, enabling you to feel more in control of the choices and decisions you may be making.

If you feel that you would like to talk to someone about the issues affecting you and your role as a carer or parent, or you generally feel you need some support, then please contact us.

Traumatic Stress Counselling

Are you experiencing any of the symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder such as pictures popping into your head; sudden strong emotions followed by unwanted memories; hypervigilence; sleep disturbance? They are known to be normal reactions to highly stressful or traumatic events. If you are experiencing any of the above, then we can probably help you. Confidential, professional yet funded trauma counselling can often overcome these effects of trauma, in a short number one on one meetings.

Opening Hours

Both daytime and evening counselling appointments are available; the service is open from 9:30am to 8pm on Monday to Friday.

Therapists and Counsellors

The counsellors and therapists at City and Hackney Mind are trained in various models of counselling and psychotherapy, including transcultural and intercultural therapy. We have a long-standing experience of providing counselling to the Turkish/Kurdish communities and we are able to provide a service in the following languages: Turkish, French, Spanish, Polish, Amharic, Farsi and Portuguese.

Specific request for language, male or female or cultural needs to be made at the referral stage or initial contact with the service you are intending to access. All of our counsellors work within the ethical framework of the UKCP (UK Council for Psychotherapy) and BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy).

Volunteer and Trainee Counsellors

City and Hackney Mind welcomes volunteers with counselling and language skills. We support our volunteers through line management, clinical supervision and training.

Fees

You may be asked for a contribution on a sliding scale basis.