We provide professional counsellors to give you a safe, independent and confidential space to talk about your concerns, feel listened to and respected and understood.
Counselling is a ‘talking therapy’ and we offer six weekly sessions via telephone or online using Zoom.
A fully trained counsellor will offer a safe and confidential space to talk about concerns along with feeling listened to and understood.
The sessions are for carers to talk about the issues associated with their caring role. Carers can explore thoughts & feelings around the impact their caring role may be having on them such as loneliness, depression, guilt or resentment, juggling conflicting demands or relationship changes.
The counselling we offer is a short-term intervention, so carers will be encouraged to look at changing their thinking and behaviours, to help them create strategies to cope with the situation they find themselves in – rather than getting bogged down in the details of the problems they face.
Six sessions of counselling are limited and not enough time to safely support carers with issues such as PTSD or more complex diagnosed mental health conditions, childhood or other traumas not associated with their caring role.
Counselling can bring up difficult thoughts and emotions and can be challenging at times. It’s not always a “comfortable chat”. We encourage carers to take time after each session to look after themselves and process what has come up. To be kind to themselves. Carers find that their mental health has improved and feel more connected and less isolated than before they started their counselling sessions.
The support has helped some carers to feel more optimistic about their situation in feasibly carving out some time out for themselves regularly or by being able to look at other options to help with care. Carers will often report feeling more resilient and increased confidence & self-esteem from being able to explore their situation with a Counsellor.
To be eligible for this service you must be: –
- Over 18 years old
- Live in Bristol or South Gloucestershire
- Must not currently be receiving mental health support, such as counselling, group therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, for example.
- Must be able to commit to six weekly sessions at the same day and time each week
- Have access to a private space for the duration of each session
If you are interested in finding out more about the counselling service or to be referred, then please contact Carersline:
CarersLine is open:
Monday to Friday: 10 am – 1 pm
Monday to Thursday: 2 pm – 4 pm
(Closed on Bank Holidays)
0117 965 2200
carersline@carerssupportcentre.org.uk
An answerphone operates outside of these hours and your call will be returned when the helpline next opens.
Alternatively, use our contact form to receive a personal reply the same or the next working day.
“I feel I am in a much better place now, the structured sessions with my counsellor really helped me to take time out each week for myself’
Further counselling services in Bristol and South Glos for carers
1 to 1 Counselling – Womankind Bristol
For women who have mental health issues (Bristol)
network counselling and training – 1 to 1 counselling
Cover a broad range of issues (Bristol)
NHS Talking Therapies – North Somerset & South Gloucestershire (vitahealthgroup.co.uk)
Talking Therapies to adults aged 16 and over, who live and are registered with a GP in Bristol,
North Somerset and South Gloucestershire
Home: The Bridge Foundation – Leaders in child and family mental health
1:1 therapy service for children, adolescents, families and individuals (Bristol & the South West)
What we do | Relate
Family, children’s and young person counselling; also offer sex therapy and mediation (Bristol)
Anxiety UK
Offer CBT, Counselling, EMDR via telephone /online across UK. Costs from £15 -50 per session dependent upon income
Counselling & Emotional Support | Bristol After Stroke
One-to-One counselling sessions for people following a stroke and for their carers as well
Counselling • Bluebell (bluebellcare.org) FREE talking therapy for parents in Bristol
Counselling | SARSAS
Rape & sexual abuse. FREE trauma informed counselling (Bristol & South Glos)
Nexus Counselling – Southmead Project
Counselling for Addiction to Drugs or Alcohol
About you – Avon Counselling and Psychotherapy Service (acps-bristol.org.uk) )
Cover broad range of issues, offer some low fee, subsidised places to people on benefits/low income
Heart to Heart Bristol
Offer affordable counselling to children (12+) and adults across a broad range of issues. Fees starting from £22 per session
Counselling – The Harbour (the-harbour.org.uk)
For people facing death, dying & bereavement. Do offer a subsidised fee based upon individual contribution as they normally charge £65 per session (Bristol)
Bourne Family Project
Family Wellbeing Services including client-centred creative and talking therapies, for both adults and children. Fee is a minimum of £15 per session
Get support – Cruse Bereavement Support
Free one to one sessions with one of a trained bereavement supporter
Counselling (kinergy.org.uk)
For survivors of sexual abuse and sexual violence. Offer FREE 1-2-1 & group counselling (Bristol & Bath)
Page last updated 14.03.24
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