Affordable Counselling Service from Solas Family Resource Centre

Counselling and Psychotherapy
Counselling and psychotherapy involves a trained therapist who offers a professional service as a helper and a client who seeks the service. Counselling is often the preferred term for a brief intervention with an individual who presents in crisis, usually precipitated by some specific challenging event in their life.

Psychotherapy refers to a wide range of interventions and programmes that target difficulties which by their nature tend to be more complex. These difficulties often reflect developmental difficulties, painful childhood experiences which continue to have a negative impact on the clients relationship with self and others.

The therapist offers an impartial, safe space in which the client can explore specific issues and develop more satisfying and resourceful ways of living. Confidentiality is a vital basis for such a relationship.  The therapist respects the client’s values, personal resources and capacity for self-determination. Carl Rogers described the relationship as the basis of the therapeutic alliance. Counselling and psychotherapy are formal activities where both parties explicitly agree a contract about times of sessions, length of sessions, fee, safety and reviewing therapy.

To ensure that their practice remains effective and appropriate, therapists are obliged to meet regularly with a supervisor, who is trained and experienced, with whom they review, monitor and explore their work.

All therapists adhere to the guidelines of their accrediting bodies e.g. IACP, IAHIP, ICP. etc.

Fee: We operate a sliding scale which is negotiated with your counsellor. If your financial circumstances change while in therapy, bring it up with your counsellor.

Missed Sessions: If you realise you are going to miss a session please notify the centre 24 hours in advance if possible. Otherwise you are responsible for payment for missed sessions.

Confidentiality: Counselling is a safe confidential space. The only time this is an exception is if it becomes apparent that you are a danger to yourself or others or that any other person is a danger to others.

Review: Your counselling will be reviewed at regular intervals.

Closure: Whenever you decide to terminate your counselling it is recommended that we have one session to put closure to the work.

Each counsellor/therapist works within a code of ethics of an approved accredited body. All our counsellors/psychotherapists are in one-to-one supervision. Our counsellors are either accredited or working towards accreditation or completing advanced courses. Accreditation bodies: IACP, IAHIP, ICP, FTAI.

Policy on Client Referrals: When a client contacts the office and requests an appointment, the therapist contacts the client and does an initial intake interview. The time, date and place for further sessions is then agreed between therapist and client.

Policy on Clients Referred by Doctors: If a client attends on the recommendation of a Doctor or Psychiatrist, the counsellor uses his/her own discretion as to whether it is necessary to contact the doctor or not, with the permission of the client.

If a client attends and is on prescribed medication, it is important to assess the clients ability to engage in a therapeutic process – this is necessary as supportive work may be more appropriate in some cases.

Best Practice for Client Attendance: If a client misses a subsequent appointment without making contact, the therapist calls the client and requests that they confirm their attendance for their next appointment.  If there is no further contact from the client the counselling is deemed to have terminated.

The counsellor processes with the client who misses appointments and seeks to establish regular attendance.  If however this does not happen, the counsellor will discuss postponement of counselling with the client.

It is best practice that individual clients attend weekly. Holiday time is negotiated with the client; these sessions do not have to be paid for. Payment is due for missed sessions if the centre is not notified 24 hours in advance. If a client is taking a longer break a closure is necessary, and their name goes back on the waiting list.

Child Protection: Implications for the Counsellor: Counsellors and Psychotherapists are among the designated professionals who are obliged to report disclosures of childhood abuse made by their clients, even if the client is now an adult.

Emergency appointments can be arranged for one session.

If it is the wish of the client, their name is put on the waiting list for further appointments.

If you have been bereaved, separated, recently become redundant or are suffering from the stresses of today – for an appointment or further information phone 093 36446. The Service is strictly confidential and affordable.

For any information please contact Co-ordinator John Middleton  John@solasfrc.ie or Maura Egan Administrator maura@solasfrc.ie Phone: 093-36446 Fax: 093-36447 Or Just Pop In!