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1. What's the point of counselling?
At Lifecentre Under 18s we have one aim: to be there for all under 18s, male or female, who have experienced sexual trauma and who need our help. It's your time to say whatever you want about what has happened to you to someone who will listen to you, support you and who won't judge you.
2. How can counselling help me?
You may want to talk about something that's been going on a long time but you've been too scared to talk about. Or maybe it's something that has just happened to you. It can be a huge help to talk through what happened and know that someone else is there for you and will try to understand how you're feeling about it.
Whilst friends and family can be an important support, it can be good to have someone who is just there for you.
• Counselling can help you see things differently.
• Counselling can help you offload and leave things behind.
• Counselling can help you to break the silence.
• Counselling can help you cope with flashbacks.
• Counselling can help you separate out what is the abuser's voice in your head from what is true and healthy to believe.
We are here to listen, not to judge.
3. So, is counselling all talk?
No! Counsellors can use really fun ways to help you express and understand your feelings. It's up to you and the sort of person you are. No pressure. We aim to make counselling a safe place for you to be heard and respected.
4. Will the counsellor tell me what to do?
No. Counsellors don't usually tell you what to do! It's amazing how we sometimes cope better with things when we understand them. Counselling is more about empowering you to discover your own way out and make your own decisions.
5. How do I get to see a counsellor?
• The easiest thing is to call the Lifecentre office number on 01243 786349. It's Ok to leave a message if the office is closed and someone will get back to you. Or you could call the telephone helpline on 0808 802 0808* which is open on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday & Thursday evenings 7.30pm- 10pm.
6. How quickly do I get to see someone?
It's usually within 4 weeks between calling Lifecentre and seeing a counsellor. Your first meeting will be an Introductory Assessment with one of our counsellors. This gives us the chance to see whether we will be the right place for you to get help - and it also gives you the chance to look at us and decide if it's right for you!
7. What happens at the Introductory Assessment?
• You should allow about an hour to an hour and a half for this first meeting.
• You will meet with one of our female counsellors, unless you tell us you would prefer to see a man.
• She will ask you for some basics facts - like your name, address, contact details, details of any physical health problems you may have. She will ask whether you are receiving help from anyone else at the moment - like the substance mis-use team or a psychiatrist.
• You won't be pushed to talk through any more details than you want to about the sexual abuse you have experienced, although she will ask you to give us some idea of what has been the nature of that abuse and when it happened.
• She will ask you some questions to help her get a clearer picture of what sort of support you need, and you are welcome to ask anything you want to check us out.
• We greatly appreciate how scary it can be to talk about such difficult things when you don't yet know us very well. We will do all we can to support you in this.
8. Where does counselling happen?
We keep our counselling venues confidential for the safety of our clients, but we have venues in Chichester, Worthing, Littlehampton. Bognor and at the Saturn centre in Crawley. You will be given the right address when you need to know where to go for counselling.
9. What is meant by confidentiality?
Confidentiality means that if you tell us stuff it will be kept absolutely safe, and told to no-one outside the Lifecentre team. All our counsellors regularly see a trained supervisor to ensure that they give you the best help possible. This makes counselling safe for you. Our supervisors are part of the Lifecentre team.
There are some important exceptions to confidentiality you need to know about:
• Lifecentre works within the Safeguarding Children Policy for West Sussex. If we hear about a young person (and that may be you) who is being abused or who is at risk of significant harm, we must tell the Police or Children and Young People's Services about it, to keep the young person safe. We will always try to work with you and have your co-operation in this, but we will need to tell someone about it. This is because we want to see children and young people protected and not left in danger.
• If you are seriously planning to commit suicide and you tell us about it, we will act, with or without your consent, to save your life.
• If you are planning any offences under the Terrorism Act or the Data Protection Act, we will need to report this to the police.
10. What are my rights of confidentiality?
If you are between 16 and 18, you have very considerable rights of confidentiality. In fact, if you are what is called Gillick Competent, you have rights like an adult to have your confidentiality respected. I suggest that you find out more about this by reading about Under18s Face to Face Counselling on our website.
11. Can I choose whether I have a male or female counsellor?
Yes you can. Let us know what you prefer. It is important you fell safe and comfortable with your counsellor.
12. What if things go wrong - if I don't like my counsellor or what they do?
Talk to us about it. You can tell your counsellor or, if that is not enough, phone our office on 01243 786349 and let us know what the problem is. If you dont find you can connect with your counsellor, our Director will talk the reasons for this through with you and your counsellor to see if it can be resolved. But if it can't, we can happily arrange for you to see another member of our team.
If things still seem to be all wrong and you seriously think it's the counsellor's fault, you can use our Complaints Procedure by getting in touch with our office on 01243-786349.
13. How long does counselling go on for?
You will see your counsellor weekly for 6 weeks and, as you get to know each other, you decide together how often you want to meet and how many sessions you would like—up to 18 are available. You can work with your counsellor in deciding what is best for you. It's Ok if you decide you only want a few sessions to help you through. Each counselling session lasts an hour.
14. Who pays for counselling?
Counselling sessions cost us £45 but because you are under 18 years old, we ask you to pay just £15. We hope your parents, guardian or someone else is able to help with this. If you do not have this support we can discuss a way forward at your first appointment. We do not want money issues to prevent you from receiving the help and support you are looking for. If another agency or professional has referred you, we will ask them to help us with funding your sessions.
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