Children & Young People

Counselling for Children

 

It is difficult to see your child in emotional pain and distress. At Meridian Therapeutic Services CIC we offer affordable counselling for children and young people under the age of 18. Emotional support for children can provide a space to express emotions with a professional that helps to process painful experiences and emotions. Therapy is an effective way for children to receive emotional support through an independent and supportive adult. Children often need a different way of working than adults need and child counsellors work creatively to process painful emotions in a safe way. The focus of work for children also includes working with parents / carers to explore helpful ways to respond to children’s needs.
 
We offer short and long term counselling depending on the needs of the child. This is assessed by a senior therapist within your assessment appointment. Within the assessment a comprehensive history is taken and the therapist will understand more about your current difficulties. This is to make sure that we have therapists suitable to work with you. It is also an opportunity for you to ask any questions to make sure you feel this is the right service for you. If your child is allocated to a therapist there are regular reviews to ensure that the work is having a positive impact. There will be some opportunities for feedback to parents / carers, although this might be more limited for older children. Limits of confidentiality will be discussed with you and your child in your first appointment.
 
 

Our affordable children’s counselling and psychotherapy service aims to:

 

  • Offer an assessment appointment to ensure our therapists are suitable
  • Provide high quality therapy
  • Make therapy accessible for families on lower incomes

Fees for therapy are based on household income at £1 for every £1000 earned per annum and begin at £25 per session. Eg, if a household earns less than £25,000 annually, weekly sessions will be charged at £25 each. If a person earns £35,000 per annum weekly sessions will be charged at £35 each. The maximum is £40 and all sessions last for 50 minutes.

We  can offer concessions for people that are on benefits such as Universal Credit and based on certain circumstances such as lone parents on a low income. If you would like to find out if you are eligible for concessionary fees please contact us by completing the enquiry form below.

Appointments for children are available on Mondays from 9.30am until 5.30pm.  Click on the button below to book an assessment for your child at The Meridian Centre.

Book a Child Counselling Assessment

English Tutoring for Anxious Children & Young People

Many young people struggle in school for a variety of reasons;  social anxiety, the pace and noise of the school environment, the ever changing routine and the academic pressures they face.

Many students also feel they have missed out on important school time due to the pandemic, and can feel more anxious about attending school and facing the unavoidable ongoing change of teaching and assessment arrangements. Social networks and friendships have changed during lockdowns and changes to clubs and extra curricular activities have also had an impact.

What Can We Offer?

We offer 121 weekly tuition sessions for English Literature and Language, taught online or in person, by Kate Wixon who is also able to offer emotional support for children and adults.

Kate has experience of working with Secondary School aged students of all levels of ability to teach English, Literature and Drama, for over 25 years. She managed a Speech and Language/Cognition and Learning Resource Base to help students overcome barriers to learning due to difficulties in communication skills, literacy, attention, and obstacles linked with ASC. Now she tutors year 10 and 11 students, who are not in school, to prepare them for English Language GCSE assessments/exams and to build confidence in writing skills, analysis of text and quality of written response.

Sessions focus on reading, understanding, expressing ideas and opinions orally and in writing, and developing creative writing skills. Increasing self-assurance and accuracy in reading and writing is beneficial to all subjects and will help develop understanding of all written text and clarity of expression. Lessons are taught as 1:1 lessons, either on Zoom or in person and are usually on a weekly basis.

If you are interested in more information, please contact our office.

Mindfulness Classes for Children

Being Mindful means being in the present moment, fully present, aware of what is happening around and within us. We all have the ability to be mindful and in fact we can usually observe mindfulness in the way that young children interact with their environment, in the moment and interested in their surroundings. As we get older, we can forget how to be mindful and spend a lot of time thinking about the past, or worrying about the future, and this can lead to lower levels of enjoyment, low mood, anxiety and stress. Mindfulness at the Meridian Centre includes meditations, gentle yoga based mindful movement, and education about living mindfully.
 
Sessions are split into 3 sections where you will learn the following: Breathing exercises, different meditation techniques and stretches to aid relaxation.

Benefits: Reduces anxiety, helps to manage anger, helps to let go of negative thoughts, increases focus, helps to manage panic attacks, lifts mood, helps to cope with depression, relaxes, clears the mind, helps to promote good sleeping. Bring: A yoga mat and blanket [there are some to borrow if you need to]. Wear: Comfortable, warm clothes and thick socks.

Childrens Mindfulness groups are on Wednesdays at 4.30pm – 5.30pm Cost: £10 [£5 reduced rate]

Book Mindfulness Class