Individual Counselling in Basingstoke

If you’re looking for counselling in Basingstoke, we know that it can be a daunting prospect and your first step can feel difficult. We want to make it as stress-free as possible.

You may be wondering if counselling is right for you, if you’re ready, and feeling uneasy about the process and what it involves. Many people come through our doors so that we can help them through periods of distress or difficulty. These include:

• feeling anxious or depressed
• feeling overwhelmed, confused or under stress
• feeling lonely or isolated
• feeling in need of support and understanding
• having difficulty relating to others, in personal or work relationships
• experiencing a personal crisis such as marriage break-up or bereavement
• undergoing life changes such as redundancy or retirement
• struggling with entering new life stages such as parenthood or menopause
• historical traumatic experiences
• facing a problem which is hard to talk about or resolve

But this list is not exhaustive. Some people come to counselling because they feel stuck or simply want to talk. Your counsellor will work together with you to help you deepen your understanding and self-awareness, by exploring issues and what may be the underlying causes for how you’re feeling.

Daytime sessions are generally processed quicker because our evening slots are busier. If you are able to make a session during the daytime this could expediate the allocation time.

Please be aware that we are not a crisis service. In the event of requiring emergency support, such as a plan to hurt yourself or others, please call 999, Samaritans or present yourself at any of the A&E departments of your local hospitals.

Men’s mental health campaign

We’re currently running a campaign to support men who may be struggling with poor mental health. We’re offering some free ‘starter sessions’: an initial consultation and six counselling sessions to 100 men over a two-year period. To find out more details, please click here.

Does counselling work?

Counselling is individual for everyone that walks through our doors. What we do know is that the confidential space we provide creates the opportunity for you to feel safe to explore what has brought you to counselling. Sharing your concerns with someone who is not directly involved can bring immediate relief, and over time it is possible to find new perspectives and to feel better able to cope in new ways.

Your counselling will take place in a safe, confidential environment in our Basingstoke offices or can be offered remotely online or by telephone. We will do our best to meet your preferences, but please note that the availability of remote sessions is particularly limited.

Our counsellors

A counselling relationship is different from other relationships you may have experienced before. Your counsellor is trained to listen and respond in a non-judgmental way. This is integral to creating a safe space where you feel comfortable to share things that are on your mind. You will continue to see your counsellor for your regular weekly sessions and the relationship you build is an important part of your work together.

Our team of counsellors are qualified and accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and also include those who are currently undertaking an advanced level of clinical training, accredited by the BACP. All of our counsellors undergo a rigorous selection process and receive regular clinical supervision to ensure they are practicing safely and effectively.

Quality mark

We are an organisational member of the BACP. As a member, this means that Basingstoke Counselling Service is a regulated, professional organisation and our work is within an ethical framework for good practice.

The process

Once you have completed our enquiry form, we will be in touch to arrange an initial consultation, which will last up to 50 minutes. This enables us to hear what brings you to counselling in Basingstoke and to understand more about you. This is also your opportunity to ask any questions you have and decide with the counsellor whether the counselling we offer is right for you.

If you decide to move forward with counselling you will then be allocated a counsellor for your ongoing sessions. These sessions are on the same day, at the same time each week and last for 50 minutes.

You may find at times counselling can be difficult or uncomfortable. It is not always easy to know what to expect or how to proceed when you are given time to talk about yourself. This is perfectly normal. Let the counsellor know how you are feeling and raise any concerns you have, as this is an important part of counselling.

Open-ended counselling in Basingstoke

At Basingstoke Counselling Service we are fortunate enough to offer counselling without long waiting lists. This makes a difference to our community because of the increasing need for mental health support.

Working in an open-ended way means that your sessions will continue for as long as you and your counsellor feel is beneficial.

If you have been referred for short-term counselling by your employer as part of their Employee Wellbeing Programme, please speak with your HR department for the appropriate forms.

Fees and appointments for counselling in Basingstoke

There is a fee of £50 for the initial consultation appointment and payment of this is required in order to complete the application process. If this fee is prohibitive, please note this in the relevant space on your application and we will discuss this with you. If you are unable to complete online payments, please email or phone us on 01256 843125. You can find out how to pay using the following link – Online-Payment-Guide-for-Clients

As a charity, we want to help as many people as we can and to make our fee structure as fair as possible for everyone accessing our Service. It costs £60 for us to provide each subsequent counselling session, but we understand that this is not affordable to all. We therefore have a system which sets your ongoing weekly fees based on your annual income as follows:

• If you have an annual income of up to £15,000, your fee would be set at £15
• If you have an annual income between £15,000 and £60,000, your fee would be set to mirror your income, e.g. if you have an annual income of £33,000, you should expect to pay a fee of £33 per week
• If you have an annual income above £60,000, your fee would be set at £60

If there are influencing factors that mean you are able to pay more than your personal income would suggest (e.g. higher household income), we would be grateful if you could make your counsellor aware of this.

You will see a space on the application form for details of your annual income. This will then be discussed in your initial consultation appointment, when the fee for your ongoing counselling sessions will be set.

Cancellation Policy

In the unlikely event that unforeseen circumstances arise and we have to cancel your initial consultation, a full refund will be given. In the event of cancellation by you, the following will apply:

All requests for cancellations must be received in an email or in writing, with changes becoming effective at the point at which written confirmation is received.

To get the most from your sessions, continuity is important. Once your weekly counselling sessions have begun, a commitment is made by both your counsellor and you to attend on a regular basis. To reflect this, payment is required for all sessions, whether or not you are able to attend.

We are a registered charity (no. 1197373) and do not receive any Government funding, so we rely on the fees our clients pay to continue providing this valuable service and helping us to deliver counselling in Basingstoke to as many people as we can.