Watford Women's Centre is committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of women aged 18 and over. We offer low-cost, face-to-face counselling with female counsellors in a safe, confidential and supportive environment.

 

What is counselling?

 

Counselling provides a confidential space to explore your thoughts and feelings with a trained professional. It can help you to better understand your experiences, develop coping strategies and work through difficult periods in your life. Women access counselling for many reasons, including:

 

• Anxiety and low mood
• Relationship difficulties
• Bereavement and loss
• Stress
• Low self-esteem
• Life changes
• The emotional impact of domestic abuse or trauma

Our Counsellors

 

Our counselling service is delivered primarily by trainee counsellors who are working towards professional accreditation with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). They receive regular clinical supervision and are supported by our experienced Clinical Services Manager.

 

Is Our Counselling Service Right for You?

 

We want every woman to receive the support that best meets her needs. While many women benefit from counselling at Watford Women's Centre, our service is not suitable for everyone. Because our service is delivered mainly by trainee counsellors, we may not be the right service if you:

 

• Are experiencing a current mental health crisis.
• Are at immediate risk of harming yourself or someone else.
• Require intensive or specialist mental health support.
• Have a severe or enduring mental illness that is best supported by NHS mental health services.
• Need support for significant alcohol or drug dependency that would prevent you from engaging in counselling.
• Require a level of support that is beyond what a community counselling service can safely provide.

Having experienced trauma or domestic abuse does not automatically mean our service is unsuitable. Every referral is considered individually.

If we feel another organisation would be better placed to support you, we will explain why and, wherever possible, help you access more appropriate services.

 

What We Offer

 

• Weekly face-to-face counselling sessions.
• Up to one year of counselling, depending on individual need.
• A consistent weekly appointment with the same counsellor.

Commitment to Counselling

 

Counselling works best when sessions are attended regularly.

You will normally attend at the same day and time each week, with breaks only for agreed holidays or exceptional circumstances. During your assessment, we'll discuss your availability to ensure you can commit to regular attendance.

 

Other Support Available

 

You may also be interested in our wellbeing and personal development courses.

If you feel you need NHS mental health support, you can self-refer to your local NHS Talking Therapies service or speak with your GP.

The NHS is encouraging anyone struggling with their mental health to seek help through the NHS Talking Therapies services. Your GP can refer you, or you can refer yourself online at nhs.uk/talk or you can click here: www.hpft-talkingtherapies.nhs.uk . To see their lates newsletter, please click here: Publications | Mental Health Foundation

 

Other local low cost counselling services may have spaces available

www.remacounselling.org

 

If you require more specialist mental health support, we will help signpost you to appropriate services.

 

Confidentiality

 

We take confidentiality very seriously. Information you share with us will remain confidential unless:

 

• You give us permission to share it.
• We are legally required to disclose information.
• We believe you or someone else is at serious risk of harm.

If we ever need to share information because of safeguarding concerns, we will discuss this with you wherever possible.