How It Works

Please use our online form here to leave your details in order to be placed on our waiting list.

If you have any difficulties completing your details or would prefer to do this over the phone, please call us on 01628 636661.

What is counselling and who is it for?

Counselling is about sharing your thoughts and feelings in a safe and confidential setting.

At Number 22 you are welcome to talk about your problems or worries which can help you feel less alone and may enable you to make sense of what is happening in your life.

Counselling is for anyone who wants support in making their own decisions in order to bring about positive changes in their life. You decide what to focus on and whatever the issue is, our counsellors won’t be shocked and they will not judge you. They will listen and help you decide how you want to move forwards.

How to be placed on our waiting list

To be placed on our waiting list, you can do this over the phone or online. Our online enquiry form is secure and confidential.

Complete Our Online Enquiry Form Here

We will send you an email letting you know that you have been added to our waiting list and we will call you as quickly as possible to organize an appointment with you.

What happens when I phone?

You can call us on 01628 636661, you can be sure of a friendly reception. Sometimes you may get our answer phone so please leave a message and we will return your call.

When we speak we can talk you through our current waiting list times.

What will happen when I come for my appointment?

Your counsellor will be waiting for you and will take you to one of our counselling rooms

The counselling session will last for 50 minutes and this is your time to share and talk about whatever you wish. Should you arrive early we have a private waiting room.

We also now offer a remote service and if you choose to work with a counsellor in this way, they will discuss with you how this can work, i.e. Zoom, FaceTime, phone etc.

At the beginning of your first session your counsellor will explain a bit about counselling. We will also talk to you about confidentiality and make a verbal agreement about how you and your counsellor will work together.

How much does it cost?

The service we offer is completely free

All of our counsellors are volunteers but of course we have running costs so we fundraise and accept charitable donations and grants. If you wish to make a donation we will receive it gratefully.

You can make donations via Just Giving or while visiting one of our centres.

Do I need a referral?

No, anyone can receive counselling from Number 22.

How long can I continue to see my counsellor and how often?

We will offer you the choice of two services

The first choice is to work with a counsellor for a series of nine sessions for which the wait for your sessions to start is shorter. The second choice of services is for longer term work; you can work with your counsellor for up to 12 months and the waiting times for this service are longer.

You will see your counsellor at the same time each week and we ask you to commit to this and discuss any holidays and absences with your counsellor. The counsellor will periodically review the work with you and discuss whether the work is supporting you therapeutically.

Will the counsellor solve my problems?

Our counsellors do not give advice and won’t tell you what to do.

We believe that people can make their own decisions about what is right for them. Our counsellors are trained to help you make the right choices for you, however hard some choices may be. Our counsellors may offer useful information and can help you clarify how and why you feel the way you do.

What happens if I’m referring a child?

We work with young people aged 11 years plus, offering counselling sessions and also our support line for young people aged 11-25 years.

We also recommend that children and young people of any age have a look at www.kooth.com Kooth offers free, safe and anonymous online support for young people. Many young people find Kooth helpful instead of a face to face service or while they are waiting for a face to face service to become available.