Professional counselling support for your service users
Relationships Sussex works alongside professionals and organisations across Sussex to help individuals, couples, families, children and young people access professional counselling.
We work with Early Help teams, schools and colleges, GPs and primary care services, SPOA and other professionals who may identify someone who could benefit from counselling.
If you are supporting someone and think counselling could be helpful, our team can talk to you about the services we offer and the most appropriate way to access support.
If you're a professional looking to refer someone to Relationships Sussex, get in touch with our team.
Who we work with
We welcome enquiries from professionals who are supporting people who may benefit from counselling.
Early Help
We work alongside professionals supporting children, young people and families who may benefit from additional emotional and relationship support.
Our counselling services can provide children and young people with a safe, confidential space to talk about what they are experiencing, while family counselling can help families understand and work through difficulties together.
If you are unsure which service would be most appropriate, our team can help you understand the options.
Schools and Colleges
Schools and colleges are often in a unique position to notice when a child or young person is struggling.
Relationships Sussex provides counselling for children and young people at selected locations across Sussex. Counselling gives young people an opportunity to talk to a qualified counsellor outside their usual family, school or friendship environment.
We can support young people with a range of difficulties, including challenges around school, relationships, family changes, confidence, emotions and significant life events.
We can discuss referral routes and available provision with schools and other educational settings.
GPs and Primary Care
GPs and other primary care professionals may meet people who are struggling with life changes, relationships, emotional difficulties or circumstances that are affecting their everyday lives.
Our individual counselling service provides adults with a confidential space to explore what is happening and consider ways forward.
We also provide couples, family and children and young people's counselling, so if you are unsure which service may be appropriate, our team can help.
Our counselling services
We provide a range of professional counselling services, so that people can access support that is appropriate to their circumstances.
Counselling for children and young people provides a safe and confidential space to talk, be heard and make sense of what they are experiencing.
Our counsellors work with children and young people at a pace that feels right for them and tailor counselling to their individual needs.
Individual counselling gives adults a confidential space to talk about difficulties, life changes, relationships, emotions and other challenges they may be experiencing.
People don't need to have a diagnosis or be in crisis to access counselling.
Couples counselling can help people understand difficulties within their relationship, improve communication, work through challenges and consider what they want from their relationship.
We work with couples at different stages of their relationships and don't assume what outcome they should want.
Family counselling provides an opportunity for family members to explore difficulties together, improve communication and develop a better understanding of each other's experiences.
Our psychosexual therapy service provides specialist support for individuals and couples experiencing difficulties relating to sex, intimacy or sexual functioning.
How to refer someone to Relationships Sussex
If you are a professional and believe someone could benefit from counselling, you don't need to work out exactly which service they need before contacting us.
Our team can discuss the circumstances with you and explain the most appropriate route into our services.
Depending on the person and the service required, this may involve:
Contact our team to discuss the person you are supporting and the type of counselling you think may be appropriate.
2. Identifying the appropriate service
We'll help establish whether individual, couples, family or children and young people's counselling is the most appropriate option.
3. Referral or enquiry
We'll explain the relevant referral process, including any specific arrangements that apply to professional or funded referrals.
4. Initial appointment
The client will have an initial appointment with a qualified counsellor. This gives the counsellor an opportunity to understand what is happening and consider whether Relationships Sussex is the right service for them.
If we feel that someone would benefit from a more specialist service, we will explain this and signpost them towards a more appropriate organisation where possible.
Confidentiality and professional referrals
We understand that professionals need to know what happens when they refer someone for counselling.
Counselling provides a confidential space for the client to talk openly with their counsellor. The counsellor will explain confidentiality and its limits as part of the counselling process.
Safeguarding considerations are important for all our clients. If there is a concern about safety, information may need to be shared with appropriate people. This is explained clearly as part of the counselling process.
Where appropriate, we can discuss practical arrangements with the referring professional while respecting the client's confidentiality.
Face-to-face counselling across Sussex
Relationships Sussex provides face-to-face counselling at our centres in:
Crawley | Horsham | Chichester | Worthing
We also offer online counselling for adults and couples across England, and telephone counselling for adults.
The availability of particular services varies by location and age, so please contact us if you need to know what is currently available in a particular area.
Why work with Relationships Sussex?
Relationships Sussex is a not-for-profit counselling charity with more than 60 years of experience supporting people and relationships across Sussex.
Our counsellors are qualified and experienced professionals who receive ongoing professional supervision.
We understand that professionals need to know that the people they refer will receive safe, appropriate and professional support.
Our aim is to work alongside other services rather than replace them, providing counselling where it is appropriate and helping people access other specialist support when counselling with us is not the right option.
Not sure whether counselling is appropriate?
You don't need to have all the answers before contacting us.
If you're supporting an individual, couple, family, child or young person and are unsure whether Relationships Sussex could help, talk to our team.
We can explain our services, discuss referral routes and help you understand what support may be available.