Support when life feels difficult, confusing or overwhelming
Counselling for Adults
Sometimes life can feel harder than usual. You might be struggling with stress, worry or difficult emotions, going through a major life change, or simply feel that something isn't quite right.
Individual counselling gives you a safe, confidential space to talk about what's happening, understand yourself and your situation more clearly, and explore what might help.
You don't need to have everything worked out before you contact us. You don't need to know exactly what you want to talk about either. Your counsellor will work with you at your own pace, without judgement.
How can individual counselling help?
People come to individual counselling for many different reasons. You might be:
- Struggling with stress, worry or feeling overwhelmed
- Experiencing difficult emotions or feeling stuck
- Going through separation, divorce or another major life change
- Coping with grief, loss or a difficult experience
- Struggling with confidence or self-esteem
- Finding relationships, family life or work difficult
- Trying to understand yourself or your feelings better
- Looking for support while you're adjusting to a change in your life
You don't need to have a diagnosis or be in crisis to benefit from counselling. Sometimes having someone independent to talk to can help you make sense of what's happening and decide what you want to do next.
Individual counselling and relationships
Although individual counselling focuses on you, relationships can be an important part of what brings someone to counselling.
You might be struggling with the impact of a relationship, considering separation, adjusting to changes in your family life, or noticing patterns in your relationships that you'd like to understand.
Your counsellor can help you explore these experiences and understand how they are affecting you, while keeping the focus on what you need.
Why choose Relationships Sussex?
Relationships Sussex is a not-for-profit counselling charity with more than 60 years experience of supporting people across Sussex.
Our qualified and experienced counsellors provide a safe, confidential and professional service, whether you choose to attend face-to-face, online or by telephone.
As a charity, we also aim to make counselling as accessible as possible. Reduced-cost counselling is available for eligible clients through our bursary scheme, subject to funding and availability.
Where can I have individual counselling?
Face-to-face counselling
Individual counselling is available at our centres in:
We offer online individual counselling for adults across England.
Telephone counselling is available for adults across England.
If you're not sure which option would suit you best, our team can talk through the choices with you when you enquire.
How much does individual counselling cost?
Individual counselling costs £44–£72 per session, depending on the type of counselling and your circumstances.
We also offer reduced-cost counselling for eligible clients through our bursary scheme. This is subject to available funding.
If you're worried about the cost of counselling, please get in touch. We're happy to talk through the options with you.
Do I have to commit to a set number of sessions?
No. There is no fixed number of counselling sessions.
We usually recommend an initial appointment followed by around six counselling sessions as a starting point. You and your counsellor will regularly review how things are progressing and decide together what feels right for you.
Some people find they need fewer sessions, while others benefit from continuing for longer.
If you're receiving counselling through our bursary scheme, funding covers one initial appointment and six ongoing sessions. This helps us distribute our charitable funding fairly so that we can support as many people as possible.
What happens when I enquire?
Starting counselling can feel like a big step, particularly if you've never had counselling before. You don't need to know what to say or have all the answers.
When you contact us, we'll ask a few questions and help you understand your options.
We'll then offer you the earliest suitable appointment we have available. If there isn't an appointment that works for you, we can add you to our waiting list.
Your initial appointment gives you the opportunity to talk about what's brought you to counselling, ask questions, understand how counselling works and explore what you would like to achieve.
There's no pressure to continue after your initial appointment. Together, you and your counsellor can decide whether counselling feels right for you.