Most of us have times in our lives when we feel unable to cope and need help. Taunton Counselling Service (TCS) may be able to help if you are going through such a time.

Just telephone us (you do not need to be referred by anyone else). An initial appointment will be made for you as soon as possible (sometimes it can happen then and there). This Initial Appointment will take the form of an extended telephone conversation (usually lasting 20-30mins) At this first appointment we can explore with you whether TCS is the best place for you to get help. This appointment is free and there is no commitment. If you decide you want to go ahead then a counsellor will be allocated to you and counselling sessions can start.

TCS grew out of the work of the Palace Gate Counselling Service’ formed in Exeter in 1994. The service is a general purpose service offered to all in need, without condition or discrimination of race, faith, class, culture, gender, marital status, physical disability, sexual orientation, or financial means.

The Initial Appointment (which is by phone) is NOT a counselling session! During this appointment you will have a conversation with one of our senior counsellors, this usually lasts 20-30 minutes.

Its purpose is to a) ensure that TCS is an appropriate place for you to come for counselling, b) get an outline of some of the issues which have brought you to make contact with us, c) establish your availability for counselling, d) agree how much you will pay for each session and e) decide how much counselling you will be offered as a start.

After the Initial Appointment— where appropriate you will be allocated a counsellor. You will then work with the same counsellor at each session (usually each week at the same time), for an hour a week.

We have a large team of counsellors working with us at TCS. We do our best to match an appropriate counsellor to you, so it is sometimes necessary to wait a little while for certain counsellors to become free. However, your availability is usually the most significant factor in how long you have to wait.

At TCS we work with clients in both a ‘fixed term’ and ‘open ended’ way. Which of these two you are initially offered will be decided at the initial conversation, however we are committed to being able to offer a service to those requiring long term counselling where necessary.

When can you come for counselling? Once counselling starts you will be seen by the same counsellor; this is usually at the same time each week. Should this not be possible for some exceptional reason, please talk about it at the Initial Appointment. We cannot guarantee to be able to help, but we will try. Please think carefully about when you can come for counselling. The more flexible you can be the more quickly you are likely to be able to start counselling.

Childcare arrangements also need to be planned as it is not possible to have counselling with children present. This is important for on-line appointments too.

Face to Face are in our Taunton Office. WE have far more on line appointments available than face to face

If you have a question about the Counselling Service that hasn’t been answered here or elsewhere on this site, do phone us on 07914-692658, and remember to leave a message and we’ll get right back to you.