Self Harm Counselling Course (young people)
*Please note that due to Covid-19 face to face sessions are currently suspended*
Who is the course for?
The self harm course is currently aimed at young people aged 13-18 years old, who are struggling with self harm. If you have a child outside of this age range who you feel would benefit from this course or some counselling then please do get in touch. Please note that due to Covid-19 this course is currently only being offered via online platforms. I am open to try and accommodate young people with counselling in a manner that they feel comfortable with.
Will this course stop self-harm?
Unfortunately this course is not a magic wand and as much as I wish I could, I cannot promise that your young person will stop self harming by the end of it. This course aims to provide a therapeutic "toolbox" that will equip your young person with alternative, healthy coping methods as well as explore their emotions and thought processes.
But can your young person stop self-harming? YES, they can. Self-harm is often a deep-routed and habituated behaviour and it takes time and commitment to overcome. I have sucecessfully worked with young people to reduce or stop self-harm.
What happens during the course?
The course consists of online one to one sessions with myself as well as worksheets to be completed in advance of each session. Each week will focus on a different area including; the reasons behind self-harm, exploring thoughts and feelings and finding alternative, healthy, coping methods.
The course incorporates person-centred counselling with CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy).
Before the course starts I will send the young person a worksheet pack in the post with numbered sheets to be completed each week. Ideally, a scanned copy of the completed worksheets will be emailed to me to review before our weekly one to one counselling session. (There are a number of free and easy to use scanner apps available to be downloaded to mobile phones if a physical scanner is not owned).
The worksheets I use provide a means of exploration and a talking point for each online counselling session.
Why choose this course?
I am committed and passionate about helping to support young people struggling with self-harm. Often they can feel alone and out of control.
As well as being a qualified counsellor I have also worked with secondary school aged children in one to one support sessions and ran self harm workshops within secondary schools that I developed myself.
In addition, I am experienced with supporting young people in counselling who self harm, am trained as an Alumina self harm course facilitator and have taken additional courses on CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) for self harm.
From experience I believe that using practical tools, such as worksheets, alongside talking therapy, is the best treatment for coping with self-harm. Young people are welcome to continue with regular counselling sessions if they find the course beneficial. Weekly counselling can offer structure and containment to a young person in crisis.
Time commitment
I understand that funding private counselling is not always easy and for this reason I offer two different courses (the full course and a shortened version) as well as offering discounted block bookings.
The courses take place (currently online) on a set day, at a set time, for either 6 or 10 consecutive weeks. Each session lasts for 50 minutes. Worksheets are also required to be completed in advance of each online session.
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Full Course (10 weeks) - includes a self care and positivity package, as well as completion of a therapeutic lifeline. This intensive course is designed to provide a practical "toolbox" for your young person of coping methods and self care techniques, as well as exploring therapeutically why self harm is used as a coping method by providing a safe space for them to look at their emotions and thought processes.
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Short course (6 weeks) - this course includes a self care and positivity package and is designed to provide a "toolbox" for your child but does not include the therapeutic lifeline work. It is a short version of the full course with selected worksheets and topics suitable for a short piece of intensive therapeutic work.
If the young person wishes to continue weekly counselling sessions after the course has been completed then this is by all means possible, however a waiting time may apply for a regular appointment to become available.
Please see my cancellation and missed appointments policy on the Fees page
Parent and carer involvement
Parents and carers often ask how they will be involved in their young person's counselling. In terms of aspects such as providing funding and ensuring your young person attends their session regularly, you will be quite involved.
However, counselling sessions are confidential between myself and your young person (my client). For this reason I do not discuss what comes up in counselling sessions with parents and carers unless there is a child protection issue involved. We will discuss these boundaries and create a confidentiality contract before the course begins.
I welcome and encourage communication between myself and parents and carers (especially for clients under the age of 16) before the course begins to discuss your views on what your young person is experiencing and your expectations for the course and counselling. It is also an opportunity to know who your young person will be talking to each week.