We offer BACP accredited counselling if you are receiving support from our STAND TO alcohol service. Ask your key worker about this and how it might help you.
Here is some of the counselling you can access:
- Integrative counselling, underpinned by a person-centred approach and incorporating other techniques including CBT tools to help focus on exploring underlying issues which may have contributed to your substance misuse
- Family CRAFT (Community Reinforcement and Family Training) and RAFT (Relative and Friends Together) sessions – to help you improve communication with loved ones and to work together to address substance misuse issues
- Trauma counselling – to help you work through early or recent trauma and find improved coping mechanisms
- EMDR Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing o help you reduce negative feelings resulting from trauma such as PTSD and abuse
- Rewind – a technique used to help you re-process negative or difficult events, such as transition and adapting to civilian life, to help improve coping strategies
- Hypnotherapy – guided relaxation and mindfulness
- Auricular Acupuncture – a method to reduce cravings and promote relaxation
All counselling is provided by qualified practitioners and is evidence based as providing improvement in dealing with trauma, substance misuse, depression, low mood and general health and well-being.
We provide up to 12 counselling sessions and 7 family sessions.
For some of the counselling there may be a waiting list, or you may need to travel to another area. In some cases, remote counselling by Zoom or Teams can be provided.
If you are not receiving support from our STAND TO alcohol service and do not have a substance misuse problem, you can still access the counselling detailed above, however there will be a charge for this. Please contact us to find out more about this and the costs.
How will counselling help me?
How can counselling help me? Sometimes people use substances, either alcohol or drugs or both, to help deal with difficult emotions. The counselling we offer will help you to look at some of the reasons you might be using or drinking and support you to make changes. This might involve looking back at some early experiences or learning and help you to develop different ways to think about and deal more effectively with thoughts and emotions. There are often underlying reasons for substance misuse which we can explore with you, safely and with the support of an experienced substance misuse counsellor. This might sound scary but often this kind of support leads to long term change and could be part of your recovery.
Will I keep the same keyworker? Yes, your key worker will remain the same. Whilst you are having counselling your key worker will still provide one to one sessions with you. Once you have completed counselling you will be able to discuss with your key worker where you go from there. This might be into group support, further key work or a range of recovery activities which you may choose. What kind of therapies do you offer? STAND TO offer counselling and trauma-focussed talking therapies including the Rewind technique and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR). Ask your keyworker or counsellor for details.
We always encourage self-referrals; however, we also accept referrals form professionals, services and agencies. An online referral/initial enquiry form can be found at the bottom of the page.
To make a referral over the phone please contact our Veteran Information Point line on 01246 959333 where someone will be happy to take your details and guide you through the referral process. Then a STAND TO worker will be in touch with you to arrange an assessment appointment which can be done in person or over the phone.