COUNSELLING FOR CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS

Making counselling accessible to everyone

There are times in all our lives that we struggle, feel depressed, sad, anxious or lonely, or just feel we would benefit from talking things through. At Open Door we provide a professional, warm, and welcoming environment. Together with your counsellor you will have the time and space to express your thoughts and feelings.

Key info

• Counselling for children and young people: Our specialist children and young people’s counselling is available for children over 5. Parents or guardians can use our referral form or get in touch to find out more.

• Counselling for adults: Over 18s can self-refer to our counselling services using the referral forms on this page.

• Sessions cost £40 each, and take place in our counselling rooms in our offices in Edgbaston, Birmingham.

Counselling at Open Door

What is counselling?

Counselling is a type of talking therapy which helps you understand your thoughts and feelings. You will see the same counsellor each week for a regular hour-long session in a private, confidential environment. This will be an opportunity to talk about anything that’s troubling you, explore your feelings and think about how you might like things to be different. 

At Open Door we use the person centred model of counselling. This approach is non-judgemental and non-directive. We don’t give you advice, instead we listen and provide a supportive environment where you can find your own answers. This can be very empowering, helping people to understand themselves better, live more fulfilling lives, improve their relationships with others, and build strength and resilience within themselves.

What sorts of things could I talk about?

•    Feeling sad, unhappy or lonely
•    Feeling like you’ve lost your sense of purpose or direction
•    Depression and/or anxiety
•    Work stress
•    Grief and bereavement
•    Family or relationship issues
•    Sexuality or gender
•    Self-harm
•    Suicidal thoughts and feelings
•    Eating disorders

Whatever’s troubling you, counselling can help you understand yourself and develop more effective coping strategies. 

Will everything I say be confidential?

Yes. We will only ever share what you say with another person if we have reason to think that there is a risk of serious harm either to you or to another person. Your counsellor will explain our confidentiality policy to you at your first session. 

Who will I speak to?

You will be allocated one of our trained counsellors and see the same person each week. Our team of experienced counsellors are all recruited, selected and trained by Open Door. They undertake monthly clinical supervision, and are managed by our chief executive, who is a Senior BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy) accredited counsellor and a qualified counselling supervisor. 

We have a Qualified Counsellor who is experienced in working with children aged 5 upwards. All our counsellors are trained in Safeguarding Adults and Children and are DBS checked.

Our counselling services are accredited by BACP. We work within the BACP's Framework for Counselling Professions and adhere to its complaints procedure. Please ask your counsellor for more information about this. 

How it works

How many sessions will I need?

Together with your counsellor you will talk about the number of sessions you feel will be helpful for you - this can be between 6-12 sessions or more if required. You will never be pressured about how many sessions you should have, that will be your decision. 

When and where will the counselling take place?

Counselling takes place at Open Door in our counselling rooms. We offer counselling sessions in the day or evening, and at weekends, so depending on availability you can usually choose a time that suits you best.

How much does it cost?

Counselling can be very expensive, making it difficult for many people to access the support they need. At Open Door we offer an affordable rate of £40 per session. 

Our payment and cancellation policy:

• Once we have allocated you an appointment you will need to pay in FULL within 48 hours to secure the appointment (without payment we will not be able to hold your appointment and you will go back on our waiting list).

• Should you need to cancel your appointment we ask for a minimum of at least 24 hours notice. If you need to cancel within 24 hours of your appointment we will charge the full session cost of £40.

• Once you have commenced counselling your counsellor will cover ongoing arrangements with you, for example if you are on holiday during your sessions etc.

• Find out more about our cancellation and DNA (did not attend) policy.

Ready to take the first step?

Get in touch if you have any questions, or fill out our referral form and we’ll be in touch to book your first session.