A place to become

The counsellors at St. John’s have the same aim as all the staff who work here  - to help the young people in our care to develop to their full potential, increase their independence and move forward in their lives.  All counsellors are accredited by the appropriate professional body.

A responsive service

 Learners present for counselling with: deep rooted difficulties in forming relationships with others, mental health issues, the effects of early trauma, depression, anxiety, family difficulties, identity issues, a sense of ‘stuckness’ in their development, difficulties with food and body image, low self-esteem, a difficulty in naming and understanding feelings, issues with anger, bereavement, a history of growing up as a Looked After Child, general difficulties in childhood.

Counselling offers the learners at St. John’s a safe and private place to work through their issues at their own pace. Learners can self-refer or be referred by members of staff with the learners’ consent. They can be seen once a week for as long as they need it. Learners also use the counselling service when they are in crisis. Counsellors can liaise with psychiatrists and other mental health professionals as necessary.

A flexible service

Counselling at St. John’s works with a variety of modes according to the individual  needs of the child or young person. Some of our learners choose to talk to the counsellor. Others use play, puppet work, drawing, painting, clay work, worksheets, sand tray work, mask work and mindfulness-based approaches.  Some use a combination of all of these or move between modes at different times.  They are all ways for our learners to express themselves, to understand their thoughts and feelings and to move forward in their lives.

A specialist service

Most students present with a need to come to terms with the implications of their special needs. Many can also present at least initially with challenging behaviours.  The counselling service is provided by practitioners with many years of experience working in this specialist field with learners with a wide variety of diagnoses. Some learners are non-verbal. Post-qualifying training in observational skills allows us become more attuned to the richness of learners’ non-verbal communication. We also draw upon the latest thinking and research on child development, play, attachment, neuroscience and mindfulness to inform our work.

An integrated service …

Counselling at St John’s is an intrinsic part of the rich developmental package that learners can access here. It works with emotional blocks to learning enabling academic development.  We also provide psychological consultation and training to staff on counselling skills, reflective practice and mindfulness helping to create an emotionally aware environment in which the learners can thrive.

With students at the centre

Counselling helps the children and young people at St. John’s grow and develop. As one student said, ‘I used to have no self-confidence. Now I feel changed. I’m not just someone with Special Needs. I’m me and I’m going to have a good life.’ Or as another student said, ‘Thank you for hearing me.’