Counselling
Counselling is the process that provides a safe, confidential place for clients to talk about their lives and anything that may be confusing, painful or uncomfortable to them. It allows clients to talk with someone who is trained to listen attentively and to help them improve things.
Common presenting problems that clients bring to counselling include: abuse, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, family dynamics, relationship problems, loss, stress, financial worries, anger, bereavement and life changes.
Our counsellors
Crossroads Counselling has a team of professionally trained vounteer counsellors: some qualified; others in the final stages of their training. Our service adheres to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions. All our counsellors receive clinical supervision to support their practice.
Our therapeutic approach
Our counsellors draw on a range of therapeutic approaches* to help clients explore the relationship between their body, feelings and mind, and the impact their experiences have had on them and on their relationships. By supporting clients to gain new insights and work through unprocessed emotions, our counsellors can help them re-orientate themselves towards how they want to be, and what gives meaning and purpose to their life.
The relationships our counsellors form with their clients, and the safe and confidential space we provide, assist clients to make progress, building their self-awareness and ability to choose to make the personal changes that they want.
* We do not offer Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) or 'Christian counselling'.
Our service
Our service is available to anyone over the age of 18 who lives, works or studies in Tower Hamlets and is on a low income. We offer counselling at a low cost (see 'Our fees' section below).
Clients are asked to attend an assessment appointment, after which they can normally be matched with a counsellor. The length of counselling offered ranges from short-term work to a maximum of 40 sessions (long-term counselling).
We offer weekly counselling sessions that last 50 minutes and may be scheduled during the day or evening, Monday to Friday, depending on each client's availability. Sessions can take place in our counselling rooms at 144 Roman Road, Bethnal Green, London E2 0RY or on Zoom. Our counselling rooms have disabled access.
Waiting list
Due to the demand for our service, we have to operate a waiting list system. The length of time you may have to wait for an appointment depends on both your own and our availability. We aim to offer an initial appointment within a few weeks of receiving your completed form and knowing your availability.
Childcare
We do not have a waiting room; nor do we have a crèche facility. We ask that clients make prior arrangements for childcare when planning to come along to an appointment.
Making an enquiry
If you are on a low income and need our service, use our Contact page or call us on 020 8981 8388.
Our fees
Crossroads Counselling is a charity that needs to raise its own funds in order to offer its service. We are completely independent of the NHS and receive no statutory funding.
We have a sliding scale of fees between £4 and £32 per session. All clients are asked to pay for their counselling at a rate they can afford depending on their income. Clients are charged for their assessment at the same rate.