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Counselling for 11-17 year olds

Sometimes life can feel very difficult and it can be hard to cope on your own. At No5 we offer free, confidential, one-to-one counselling to support young people aged 11-17.

Counselling offers a safe place for you to be listened to, without judgement, to help you understand your thoughts and feelings. We can help you make sense of what you’re going through and support you with the difficulties you’re experiencing.

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Counselling for 11-17 year olds
“Before I started counselling I felt my problems were getting too much for me. Now I feel more confident and courageous!”

“Before I started counselling I felt my problems were getting too much for me. Now I feel more confident and courageous!”

How does counselling work?

A counselling session usually involves talking with your counsellor but sometimes it may be hard to talk.

Your counsellor will have various resources and activities and might suggest some creative activities to do together to help you, like drawing or playing a game.

You can talk about whatever you like to a counsellor; they will not tell you what to do, judge, or criticise you. Your counsellor will not make decisions for you or force you to talk about anything that you don’t want to.

Counselling at No5 takes place

In Person

At School

Online

Over the Phone

In-person counselling is available between 4 and 9pm Monday – Friday at our house in Central Reading, online (via Zoom) and over the phone between at various times and days across the week.

Our house in Central Reading is wheelchair friendly and provides a step-free access option at the rear.

Many young people want between 10 and 20 weeks of counselling and your counsellor will work with you to decide how many sessions you feel you need.

The sessions will be on the same day, at the same time, with the same counsellor each week. Sessions last up to 50 minutes.

To request counselling at No5 please fill in our referral form:

Request Counselling

How does counselling help?

The counselling session is your time, and the counselling room is your space for that time

The counselling session is your time, and the counselling room is your space for that time...

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The counselling session is your time, and the counselling room is your space for that time

You’ll see the same counsellor, on the same day and time each week. Having this stable routine and trusting relationship can be really helpful if other areas of your life are feeling difficult.

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A counsellors aim is to listen, support and help you to decide what will work for you

A counsellors aim is to listen, support and help you to decide what will work for you

When a person keeps worries to themselves, they can grow to become greater problems

When a person keeps worries to themselves, they can grow to become greater problems...

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When a person keeps worries to themselves, they can grow to become greater problems

making them even harder to share. Talking about it provides an opportunity to share feelings earlier rather than waiting until it all feels too much

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Sometimes it is simply having the opportunity to talk to someone in a neutral space

Sometimes it is simply having the opportunity to talk to someone in a neutral space...

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Sometimes it is simply having the opportunity to talk to someone in a neutral space

away from your family or friends, who is trained in listening to and supporting young people that is most helpful

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Understand your counselling

What can I talk about?

You can talk to your counsellor about whatever you want during your counselling. No issue is too big or too small, and you will not be judged on what you say or be pressurised into talking about anything that you don’t want to.

Young people come to us with a range of difficulties, such as:

  • Relationships and Friendships
  • Drugs and Alcohol
  • Self-Esteem
  • School Issues and Exam Stress
  • Abuse
  • Home and Family Issues & Breakdown
  • Bullying/Cyber bullying
  • Anger
  • Sex
  • Sexuality and Identity
  • Anxiety
  • Self-Harm
  • Depression
  • Eating Disorders
  • Bereavement & Loss
  • OCD and Phobias

Are your counsellors trained?

All No5 counsellors working with 11-17 year olds are members of a professional regulatory  body who are fully qualified and have completed, or are on placement for, a specialist training to work with young people. See our training page.

It is a professional requirement that counsellors are regularly supervised, and the purpose of supervision is to ensure the counsellor is working ethically and safely with you, and for their development and support. During supervision your name and personal details will not be shared with the supervisor, and this takes place separately from counselling sessions.

Counsellors who are in their final stages of training and those completing Continuous Professional Development (CPD) may ask your permission to use some details in case studies. When this happens no names or any other personal details that could identify you are included.

Confidentiality & safeguarding?

An important aspect of counselling is that it is confidential – or private. This means that nothing you say to your counsellor will be repeated to anyone outside No5, including family, teachers or doctors. No one will answer any questions, or talk about, your counselling without your permission.

No5 is an organisational member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and therefore follows their Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions to guide best practice, in particular around confidentiality and safeguarding for young people.  Please click here for more details.

Safeguarding

No5 takes confidentiality very seriously, and we also have a duty to ensure your safety. If we believed you or another vulnerable person was at serious risk of harm, we may need to break confidentiality. This may mean involving someone else who could help keep you, or them, safe. Counsellors always try to discuss this with you first and work with you to come up with a plan. See our safeguarding policy.

#AsktheYAs - How do you see the world today?

“I’ve got more self-confidence – the experience has been amazing.”

“I’ve got more self-confidence – the experience has been amazing.”

Some facts about counselling at No5

Your counsellor is not your parent, friend, family, teacher, tutor or doctor;

Your counsellor is not your parent, friend, family, teacher, tutor or doctor;

There may be things that you do not feel comfortable discussing with people close to you, but you can talk about anything you need to with your counsellor in a neutral space, away from the pressures you might be facing

Your counsellor will listen to what you want to say, and your counsellor won’t tell you what to do. You won’t be judged.

Your counsellor will listen to what you want to say, and your counsellor won’t tell you what to do. You won’t be judged.

We won’t tell anyone else what you say, unless you are at serious risk of harm, and even then we will always discuss this with you first

We won’t tell anyone else what you say, unless you are at serious risk of harm, and even then we will always discuss this with you first

There is no problem too ‘big’ or ‘small’ to bring to No5

There is no problem too ‘big’ or ‘small’ to bring to No5

Needing some support isn’t a sign that there’s something wrong with you, it’s about exploring the things you have gone through

Needing some support isn’t a sign that there’s something wrong with you, it’s about exploring the things you have gone through

Counselling is most helpful when done on your own with your counsellor, but a parent or guardian can come to your first session with you for the first 10 minutes, if you’d like them to

Counselling is most helpful when done on your own with your counsellor, but a parent or guardian can come to your first session with you for the first 10 minutes, if you’d like them to

We don’t often get the chance to talk about ourselves with someone who is only interested in us!

We don’t often get the chance to talk about ourselves with someone who is only interested in us!

So even if you’re unsure about coming to counselling, why not give it a try – it might help.

Your counselling session will last up to 50 minutes, but we understand not everyone is able to manage this much time

Your counselling session will last up to 50 minutes, but we understand not everyone is able to manage this much time

You’ll meet with your counsellor at the same time, on the same day every week.

You’ll meet with your counsellor at the same time, on the same day every week.

If you are working with your counsellor in-person, your counselling will always be in the same room.

The counselling session is your time, and the counselling space is your space for that time.

The counselling session is your time, and the counselling space is your space for that time.

You can refer yourself for counselling at No5 without permission from an adult.

You can refer yourself for counselling at No5 without permission from an adult.

To request counselling at No5 please fill in our referral form:

Request Counselling
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