Counselling
Counselling allows you a private space and the opportunity to explore feelings and emotions in a confidential setting. You can talk to a counsellor about any issue, without worrying about what someone may think. If you receive counselling at Big C, it may help you find ways to make your own decisions and choices in moving forward.
1:1 counselling
When someone is diagnosed with cancer, it can place a great deal of stress and worry upon them. Everyone copes differently, many adjust well without any help but we’re here for you as additional support if you need us.
Family counselling
Family therapy helps people in close relationships and family units to support each other. It enables family members, including children, and couples, to understand each others’ views and to express and explore difficult thoughts and emotions about cancer together.
Child counselling
Cancer can place a great deal of stress and worry upon the whole family. If your child / children could benefit from some 1:1 support, our trained counsellors can ensure your child is fully supported, in a safe and welcoming environment.
What does counselling involve?
Our counselling service is provided by fully qualified and experienced counsellors who work in accordance with the ethical framework of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. You will see the same person for all your sessions, enabling you to build a trusting connection with your counsellor who will then try and support you with your feelings and emotions.
How it works
There is normally a waiting time between referral and the first counselling session, although we aim to keep this to a minimum. A member of staff will contact you to arrange the first appointment. Subsequent appointments are made with your counsellor.
Following an initial assessment, Big C may be able to offer you structured counselling, usually over 6 sessions, lasting around 50 minutes each, which is fully funded. This can be done over the phone, online or at one of our centres.
Will what we say be confidential?
All the work you do with the Therapist, and everything you discuss is strictly confidential.
Our guidelines on confidentiality will be discussed with you during your first session.
Who can come along to a Family Therapy appointment?
It is best that for the first appointment the main person attends alone, to enable to therapist to gather the information required to plan future sessions and decide with you who you would like to attend. Family therapy can involve more than one person in a session, if it will benefit the client, this can include but is not limited to parents, partners and children.
We’ve helped people like Lisa
Lisa’s father died from oesophageal cancer in 2021. Having already been aware of Big C, Lisa sought their support and started a course of bereavement counselling. Lisa tells her story…
How to book your support
Call
Call us on 0800 092 7640 to chat to our support team (Mon – Fri, 9am – 5pm, excluding bank holidays).
Email us on support@big-c.co.uk with your contact details and we’ll be in touch.
Speak to your GP
Have a chat with your GP or healthcare team, who will be able to get in touch with us on your behalf.
We’ve helped people like Louise
Following a routine mammogram screening, Louise was told that a lump was found in her breast, resulting in a breast cancer diagnosis in August 2019. This is her story…
Browse
We can help you work through the maze of cancer information.
Support
At our centres across the region, we offer support to anyone affected by cancer.
About us
We are a local, people-first charity providing outstanding cancer support.
Let’s keep in touch
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