SERVICE DETAILS
There are several reasons why LGBT+ people might want to access counselling that is LGBT+ informed and affirmative. You might want to work through specific experiences relating to your sexuality or gender identity and so it’s important that you feel comfortable to do so, without fear of stigma or discrimination. Or you might want to focus on other areas of your life without being subjected to inappropriate curiosity or incorrect assumptions about your sexuality or gender identity. Therefore, all our counsellors are trained around LGBT+ identities and issues.
Are you looking for LGBT counselling in Scotland? We offer a donation-based confidential counselling service in Edinburgh for LGBT people to work through issues with a trained volunteer counsellor. You can also access our counselling service if you are questioning your sexuality or gender identity, or not using labels for either.
Why see a counsellor?
Talking with someone who is trained to listen and support can help you to understand more about what you are experiencing so you can identify choices you have about how you want to live your life. Counselling can help with a whole range of issues, including:
- Relationship difficulties
- Gender or sexual identity issues
- Self-confidence and self-esteem
- Abuse
- Coming out
- Depression and anxiety
- Sexual issues
- Isolation
Our counsellors are volunteers who are either qualified or in the final stages of their training with accredited institutions. We provide ongoing professional supervision to all our counsellors and all adhere to BACP ethical standards and Code of Practice.
Counselling designed for LGBT people
There are several reasons why LGBT people might want to access counselling that is LGBT informed and affirmative. You might want to work through specific experiences relating to your sexuality or gender identity and so it is important that you feel comfortable to do so, without fear of stigma or discrimination. And you might want to focus on other areas of your life without being subjected to inappropriate curiosity or incorrect assumptions about your sexuality or gender identity. Therefore, all our counsellors are trained around LGBT identities and issues.
What do you offer?
11 weekly sessions with one of our volunteer counsellors who are either fully qualified or in their final stages of training.
How much does it cost?
Private counselling in Edinburgh costs around £45 per session. We can provide counselling thanks to donations. Although we will never turn you away if you are unable to pay, we will ask you to make a donation at each session according to your ability to do so. All donations come directly into the counselling service and we are members of the Gift Aid scheme.
How do I get started?
You can either fill in our online referral form at https://www.lgbthealth.org.uk/services-support/lgbt-mental-health/lgbt-counselling or phone and email us to start your referral. If you are a health professional you can refer someone using the same form or by calling or emailing us.
We will then invite you to an initial appointment with our counselling coordinator within two to four weeks. The appointment will last an hour and you will then have the opportunity to:
- Find out what counselling can offer you
- Tell us what brings you to counselling at this time
- Discuss together whether counselling feels right for you
- Talk through any donation you may be able to make for your counselling sessions
- If we decide together that counselling is right for you at this time, we will talk about your availability for a weekly session and you will be placed on our waiting list.
Edinburgh Counselling Service
Our service in Edinburgh has been extremely busy since December. We have received a large number of referrals which means that our waiting times have increased too. In order to manage this, we are temporarily closing to new referrals. This is to allow us to process those referrals we’ve already received and to manage our waiting times. We will reopen our waiting list as soon as we can.
How long is the waiting list?
It is likely to take up to 12 weeks to be invited to an intake appointment. It will then be a further number of weeks before you are allocated to a counsellor. The more flexible you can be in terms of your availability, the quicker we will be able to find you a slot.
For more information, please Contact Claire Black (Counselling Coordinator):
