You Trust's Counselling with You calls for funding to continue helping the Portsmouth community

Counselling with You, run by the You Trust, provides general counselling for people who live, work or study within the PO1 to PO6 postcodes. Based in Kingston Crescent, North End, they help individuals who need help with issues such as anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, and drug and alcohol dependency, among many others.

While the service is not free, it is means tested and affordable for those seeking help. With funding secured until December 2024, the service is now seeking funding to ensure it can continue into the new year.

Becs Feek, a clinical lead at Counselling with You, said: “We are in the fifth year of delivering the counselling here and unfortunately the funding that has kept the service operating has now ended.

“Therefore we have launched our ‘Anchors of Hope’ campaign and we are professionally reaching out to local organisations, businesses and employers to explore the possibilities of continuing the service supporting the residents, employees, and students based in Portsmouth.”

The service has helped a number of people. Between April 2023 and March 2024 118 people completed their counselling. You Counselling looks to provide up to 24 weeks of counselling and they also run a monthly wellbeing retreats to create safe spaces away from the normal sessions.

Tracy Stewart has experienced the benefits of the service and now is a peer mentor that helps at retreats and self-esteem courses. She said: “The impact on the service for me was huge, I wouldn’t be where I am now without it.”

Not only is Tracy a peer mentor, she is also now training to become a counsellor herself. She said: “I had counselling for many years but I never really progressed. I’d go into the system and then out of it. I moved to Portsmouth and felt very welcome at Counselling with You.

“The more that people know how amazing this service is, it could be rolled out to other areas. It is isn't just weeks of counselling sessions, you are learning new tools to equip yourself with.”

Tracy added: “I have so much gratitude for it, I wouldn't be where I am now without it. I was in a very low place when I first started here.”

As well as supporting people, You Counselling is also a starting point for those looking to get into the industry as they work closely with the University of Portsmouth and the University of Chichester. 16 students passed their placements with them in the last academic year and many choose to continue to volunteer.

Becs believes there could be a number of knock on effects if the service does not get funding for next year. She said: “Without the service there will be an inevitable impact on individuals wanting to access counselling, as well as further impact on NHS waiting lists for psychological therapies, and a major impact to counsellors in training as a placement provider.”

Further information on Counselling with You and how to access their services can be found on their website: https://theyoutrust.org.uk/counselling-with-you/

Details of the Anchors of Hope campaign and how to donate can be found at https://theyoutrust.org.uk/anchors-of-hope/

Watch the video embedded in this article for the full interview.