The Telephone Counselling Service (TCS) was launched in 2010 to address the obstacles of attending face to face sessions offered by other agencies, including disabilities; lack of access to suitable transport or childcare; difficult working patterns; chaotic lifestyles or social shame and anxiety.
Mental health issues often run alongside substance misuse, including Depression, Borderline Personality Disorder, Bi-Polar Disorder and Schizophrenia. This often precludes people from accessing substance misuse services, which can lead to being marginalised and vulnerable within our communities. TCS will work with mental health disorders or struggles and substance misuse (dual diagnosis).
We offer people with substance misuse dependencies and their families a structured and individually tailored programme of 12 weekly counselling sessions. The service is free of charge to clients, although there is an opportunity to donate towards sessions. Referrals can be made directly by calling the SDAC Helpline or through health, treatment and other social agencies. Counselling sessions take place at a time that suits, for example during a lunch break without taking time off work or of an evening or at a weekend.
Once referred, a Counsellor will be in contact within 3 working days and treatment often starts within 5 days. The sooner treatment commences the greater the level of success.
All TCS Counsellors are registered with the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists and are trained in working with substance misuse. Our Counsellors have specialisms in a wide variety of areas including: domestic violence, end of life counselling, disabilities, suicidal ideation, abuse and complex family dynamics.
Click here to complete our online Self Referral Counselling form