The Unmasked Counselling Service aims to provide an affordable counselling service for local people by subsidising the cost through voluntary donations and grants. The current waiting list to access counselling through the NHS in calderdale is in excess of 12 months and privately the cost is approximately £120-£150 per session.
A minimum donation of £20 per session is all we for each counselling session from individuals, the rest of the costs are funded through donations and grants, and we receive no government funding whatsoever. We also ensure we have no waiting list so the service is accessible at the point of a person needing it. We increase our appointment availability in line with the demands of the service.
The service is located on the first floor, 20-26 Commercial Street Halifax, we have 7 counselling rooms available which operate all week. Our current running costs for our building alone exceeds £8,000 per month with rent, utilities and staff.
What does counselling offer and who is it for?
Counselling offers a safe space where individuals can talk about things that are impacting their life, feel listened to and understood. No issues are too small, whatever they need to talk about, if they want to talk about something then that’s what we’ll do. Sometimes the smallest of issues can be the key to their goals.
Counselling and psychotherapy is available for people who feel dissatisfied with how they feel and want to talk things through, gain insight, awareness and understanding of how to make positive choices and feel good about themselves and life around them.
Counselling can help if:-
- You are feeling stuck and not sure what to do
- You have recently been bereaved, or experienced a loss of some kind
- A past event is niggling away at you
- You are feeling stressed or anxious
- Poor self image, low self esteem, or lacking in confidence
- You want to make significant life changes
- Maybe you use alcohol to self medicate and make those unpleasant feelings go away.
- You have been diagnosed with depression
- You have a sense of loss of direction.
- A relationship feels unfulfilling
- You are going through a divorce or separation
- Feeling unsettled, or uncertain about your sexual identity
Our counselling services are for people aged 18+
We aim to offer support that is as individual as our clients, with a clients needs as our priority. We strive to provide them with all they need to achieve their aims through the professional relationship, offering what can be a life changing experience for many.
Our counsellors are qualified volunteers or counselling students currently attending local Universities or Higher Education, on placement at Unmasked after completion of our thorough induction.
The service is overseen by our qualified, employed counselling coordinators who are on hand to support our volunteers, students and answer any questions you may have as a client.
