Youth Counselling

Expert support and assistance for young people aged 11-17.

It’s not easy for young people

Young people aged 11-17 face a similar range of problems to adults, from family and relationship concerns to depression, anxiety and anger, on top of school-related issues such as bullying and exam-stress. They have to manage these things at the same time as navigating puberty, understanding sexuality, and establishing a new identity as a responsible adult – at a stage when they have relatively little control over their life situation, and when the people to whom they would normally turn for support may often be part of the problem. Many young people can feel inadequate or even ashamed of not being able to cope with it all.

How counselling can help

Counselling offers young people non-judgmental support for their difficulties, and – crucially – a chance to begin untangling life’s complexities for themselves, rather than simply being told what they should do or how they should think or feel. With a warm and approachable therapist, who is committed to treating the young person as an equal, they can begin to learn how to regulate their emotions, and develop a confidence and calmness in handling challenging situations and relationships for themselves.

Confidentiality

As with all counselling, it is vital that the young person knows the space is both safe and confidential in order for them to speak. However, they may sometimes raise things that do need to be shared with parents, teachers, or statutory bodies under the Child Protection Act. Anchor’s experienced youth counsellors are adept at negotiating such issues carefully, with the young person’s full involvement, to ensure those who need to know are properly informed, without compromising key aspects of confidentiality.

Youth Counselling with Anchor

Anchor counsellors are currently able to offer assistance for young people at the following locations:

• From age 11 upwards: Lots Roads, SW10
• From age 16 upwards:  Reading, RG1