This week is Children’s Mental Health Week. We are so grateful for our specialist children and young people’s counsellors, like Helen, who are helping more and more children every year cope with their feelings, find their voice and learn that it matters.
“Feelings are meant to be felt. Feelings are not good or bad, right, or wrong but sometimes they can be overwhelming for children. That’s normal and it’s ok to ask for help.”
The demand for our counselling services from children and young people aged between 4 and 18 has never been higher, according to our executive director, Emily Fullarton.
“There are a number of reasons, some interlinked, for this increase in demand. The pandemic is one, of course, as is the relentless pressure of social media and exams. The cost-of-living crisis has meant that many families are struggling to make ends meet and this has a knock-on effect on family dynamics and the atmosphere at home.
Through counselling, children and young people can re-gain trust in people, have a greater sense of themselves and their identity, develop and improve their confidence, self-esteem, resilience, emotional wellbeing and reduce feelings of anxiety, distress, isolation and loneliness.”
National Mental Health charity Young Minds report that only 1 in 3 children with a diagnosable mental health condition receive treatment and care from the NHS. Our unique, affordable counselling provides a vital service in this challenging landscape.
In order to offer more counselling sessions to those children and young people who need it, we are launching two new training courses beginning in April at Wellspring House. Based on the BACP curriculum, they will equip counsellors with the specialist knowledge and skills needed to work with 11-18’s.
You can find more information on our courses here.
If you would like to donate to Wellspring to help continue our vital services you can donate here.
