Counselling Service

Our Purpose

Willows has membership with the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) and The Association of Christian Counsellors (ACC)

The purpose of the service is to provide a confidential and professional counselling facility accessible to all adults who are able to access one of our counselling venues. The service is offered regardless of gender, sexual orientation, ethnic or cultural background, to people of any faith, or none. Willows is a counselling service, which upholds the unique value of each and every individual. Whilst those working at Willows may share a worldview that is drawn from the Christian faith there is no expectation that clients will themselves hold the same world view.

Counsellor training

Willows has approximately 35 counsellors, 20 supervisors, 10 trainers, and 6 part time staff. Each counsellor will have completed an Extended Certificate in Integrative Counselling, ACC level 3 or above, with a minimum of 500 hours training before counselling. Many will have completed a Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling, ACC level 4 minimum of 800 hours training. (CPCAB). Some will also have other specialist training in a variety of subjects.

Access to the services

Anyone who feels that they may need a confidential level of support can contact Willows to explore their concerns and find new direction for positive change. Those facing difficult life decisions and circumstances, with relationship issues, stress, anxiety, fear, depression, loneliness, low self-esteem, past or present trauma or abuse may benefit from counselling.

You will need to contact Willows yourself by telephoning to make a self referral for counselling, even if counselling has been recommended by your GP, Community Mental Health Team, Health Visitor, Social Services, Church or other organisation.

For Your Information

8th December 2009
Willows Counselling Service would like to inform all of our clients and supporters that we are taking a recent complaint, upheld by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), very seriously. We have gone to great lengths to respond quickly and are working on all the necessary changes that we need to make to ensure this never happens again. We would like to reassure you that of the 1800 clients we have worked with over the history of Willows Counselling Service, this is the first complaint that has been made. Since our establishment in 1994, we have received year-on-year increases in the number of referrals to our services and we pride ourselves on our counselling expertise. We continue to work tirelessly to deliver the highest quality support to all of our clients and in doing so rely on a range of strong partnerships with mental health agencies, third sector organisations, voluntary groups and church communities. We are committed to continuing to provide high quality listening and counselling supported by reliable and robust systems and processes. If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact: 01793 426650.

Mike Fisher, Executive Director