Counselling Service

 

Need a Listening Ear?

There are times in all our lives when we need more than anything else to be listened to.  We may be facing a crisis through, for example, bereavement, redundancy, the breakdown of a close relationship or the onset of serious illness.  We may be in need of support ourselves as we care for others in our families who are dependent on us to meet their needs.  We may need to talk through some of the more stressful and traumatic experiences we are sometimes faced with - a serious accident, a miscarriage, an unexpected pregnancy to an early retirement amongst many others.  Or we may be facing serious dilemma, having to make a difficult decision or perhaps experiencing feelings which concern us - feeling stressed or unable to cope, feeling depressed, anxious or confused. At such times, we need to be able to share our experiences, thoughts and feelings with someone who cares and who is willing to stay with us as we face the confusion and distress we are feeling.  Family and friends can often be a tremendous source of help and support.  Talking through our experiences with them will often provide us with the "listening ear" we need. For many different reasons, however, family or friends may not be able to support us in this way.  They may not know how to help us, or they may be too emotionally involved to be able to listen objectively to our concerns.

"The counselling enabled me to pull myself out of the cycle that I had put myself in which was the core of my problems."


How can Wellspring Help?

Wellspring has a team of professional counsellors who are trained to listen attentively and sensitively to your concerns and who will give you the time and space to talk freely.  They will not generally give advice or solutions to your problems or tell you what to do but will seek to understand you through the difficulties you are feeling to help you to find a way through.  They offer an opportunity to talk through your experiences and feelings confidentially with someone who can be trusted to stay with you no matter how distressing or disturbing your feelings may be, and who can be trusted not to respond in a critical or judgmental way no matter what you may be experiencing.

"I never would have thought that just 'letting go' of what I'd carried inside for so long to someone I could trust would have made such a radical difference."


Is the Service Open to Everyone?

Wellspring is a registered charity underpinned by a Christian ethos.  Originally initiated and supported by local GPs and churches in Nailsea out of a desire to support the needs of the local community, we offer our services to all who seek help, irrespective of gender, sexual identity, ethnic origin, religious belief or ability to pay.   We respect diversity and this includes the values, independence and integrity of each individual client that seeks support from Wellspring.  We may however, on occasions, decline counselling to an individual on the grounds that we do not have adequate specialist expertise to deal with certain issues and problems as it would be unprofessional for us to work beyond our expertise.


What about Confidentiality?

Wellspring understands that confidentiality is very important to anyone seeking help and we offer a service that guarantees the strictest confidentiality.  When you come for your initial interview, we will discuss with you the level of confidentiality we offer, and will give you the opportunity to raise any concerns you might have.

 "I have moved forward a great deal and now I know my worth as a person and I feel good about it."


What do people talk about?

You can use your counselling sessions for concerns you have, but some of the issues people talk to us about are:
  • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
  • Life Transitions
  • Stressful situations
  • Bereavement
  • Illness
  • Marriage breakdown
  • Depression
  • Sexual, Physical or Emotional abuse
  • Retirement/ redundancy
  • Anxiety
  • Anger
  • Career development/personal development
  • Traumatic events or difficult memories