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Empowering people to make
positive changes in their lives.

We provide a safe place to talk to a skilled counsellor, who will listen and help you understand how past experiences, worries about the future, or lack of self-confidence may be affecting your life.

Counselling helps you reflect on how you respond to events and explore the way you deal with relationships.

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Adult Counselling

Counselling or therapy can improve mental health, increase self-awareness and help us process difficult emotions, experiences and relationships.

BACP Accredited

Supervised

£55 per session (subsidised places available)

Available in Stroud, Cirencester, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Tewkesbury and online

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Children & Young People

We support children, young people, and their parents who are experiencing difficulties. Changes in family life – such as separation, remarriage, loss or bereavement – all bring challenges. You might be worried about supporting a troubled adolescent, a child experiencing bullying, or a young person struggling to gain independence. This service is available in Stroud, Cheltenham and Gloucester only.

Trained and Professional

Supervised

£70 per session

Available in Stroud, Cheltenham and Gloucester

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Couples Counselling

Relationships can be hard. Whether you’re wanting to understand your partner better, explore the dynamics between you or work through specific challenges, couples counselling will give you the space to reflect and make change together. This service is currently provided remotely online.

BACP Accredited and Supervised

Remotely via video call

Free registration (use the referral code "couples")

£70 per session

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Funded Counselling

Learn more

At GCS we receive funding for fully funded or subsidised short-term counselling, subject to eligibility criteria set by our partners.

If you might be eligible for funded counselling, please email or phone us:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 01453 766310

If another service has given you a referral code please see the I’ve Been Referred tab.

I’ve Been Referred

Learn more

If you have been referred by a GCS partner organisation, you should have been given a reference code. Please click the ‘Register for Counselling’ button and follow the process. You will be prompted for the referral code.

Register for counselling

We are a charity

We are a not-for-profit service and mainly rely on session fees and the generous contribution of funders to enable us to offer high-quality counselling to our Gloucestershire community.

How can you support us?

Become a funding partner

Pay the full fee for your counselling if you can

Donate

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FAQs

What is counselling?

Counselling provides an opportunity to discuss issues that may be troubling or causing you problems. Your counsellor will not know you or have any involvement with the issues you wish to discuss, or offer advice but instead will provide a space where you are able to explore and reflect on the difficulties you are experiencing.

Once you have decided you would like counselling you will be offered an assessment before you commence. The assessment provides the opportunity to decide whether counselling would be appropriate for you or not.
How often would I meet with my counsellor?

Once you commence ongoing counselling you will see the same counsellor (this will not be the counsellor you saw for the assessment). You meet weekly at the same time and the same place, each session usually lasts for 50 minutes. This space is held for you each week and as a result if you are unable to attend for any reason you will be expected to pay for the missed sessions.
Will my counsellor be qualified and experienced?

All GCS counsellors are supervised and managed within GCS and work within the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy Ethical Framework. Most of our counsellors are qualified but some are in training and work to the same high standards as qualified counsellors.
How long does counselling take?

There is no one answer to this question as it depends on the issues you wish to address and the depth to which you wish to explore them and other related matters. GCS offers open ended counselling but if it is more appropriate we are able to offer a more focused, fixed term option usually up to 12 weeks.
Where will I have to go for counselling?
How long will I have to wait for a counselling appointment?

We aim to offer a first assessment appointment within two weeks once you have completed our registration process. We then aim to start your regular weekly session within eight weeks. Waiting times for your allocated counsellor however can depend on a number of factors including your availability and venue choice, with evening slots being in higher demand.

If you require a subsidised space, there is likely to be a longer wait of up to 9 months as these appointments are limited and subject to funding. You can contact us by email or phone for an update on our waiting list once you’ve registered and had your initial assessment.
What if I am unhappy with my counselling?

If you’re unhappy with any aspect of your counselling, you should discuss this if possible with your counsellor. If this is inappropriate or doesn’t resolve the matter, please contact our Head of Clinical Services (Nikki Stait) outlining your concerns via [email protected] or ring us on 01453 733310.
Do you offer home visits?