New affordable counselling service opens its doors in Reading

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A new counselling service has officially opened to provide low cost, easy access counselling in and around Reading to anyone above the age of 10.

Reading Counsellors is a fellowship of therapeutic counsellors who share a deep-seated commitment to raising the community's mental health. Its team of five counsellors work from four different locations making its services as accessible as possible in terms of both travel and cost. Its qualified counsellors come from a variety of therapeutic backgrounds and orientations and are all members of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and work to its ethical framework.

Jordan Gooding, counsellor at Reading Counsellors says: “Mental Health support simply is not accessible for the majority of the population and we are working to change that. We have found that counselling usually comes in two forms: free, but short-term, and only if the client fits a certain demographic or its prohibitively expensive. Therefore, the vast majority of would-be clients fall between these two services, and are unable to access any form of help. “This doesn't strike us as fair, and so we formed Reading Counsellors to meet these people's need. We believe that there is no other service like this available in the Reading area. This is our attempt to make mental health support accessible for everyone who wants and needs it.”

Reading Counsellors offers daytime, evening and weekend appointments in West Reading, Tilehurst, Whitley and East Reading. Costs are £20 per session for clients on benefits such as: Personal Independence Payment, Carers Allowance and Universal Credit; or a standard rate of £30 per session.

Reading Counsellors is a Community Interest Company and is supported by Waitrose Community Matters in Tilehurst.