Initial Assessment
To access the service, you can book an initial assessment with one of our qualified counsellors. This is an opportunity for you to help us get a better understanding of your counselling needs.
The assessment is a relaxed discussion and we’ll ask you some questions about your previous experiences, like the ones we’ve included at the bottom of this page.
Please be as open as possible about your experiences, while also keeping yourself safe during the assessment process as this is not a counselling session. There is nothing that you need to prepare for or worry about.
You will also have an opportunity to ask your assessor any questions that you might have about the service.
We ask for a £15 contribution towards the cost of your assessment, which will take place via Google Meet and last approximately 30 minutes.
Some questions we may ask you during your assessment:
- How are you feeling?
- What support do you currently have to help you cope?
- Have you had counselling before? What did you find helpful or not?
- How would you describe your appetite and quality of sleep?
- Are you taking any medication?
- Have you ever had thoughts of harming yourself?
- What are you hoping for from counselling?
- What days and times are you available for your weekly session?
To access the service, you will need to be:
- 18+ years & based in the UK
- Able to commit to weekly online sessions at the same time and day
- Able to pay for sessions by debit or credit card, or support from someone who can do this on your behalf
- We do not currently offer group or couples counselling
This service is not able to accept clients with:
- Actively (or recently) suicidal
- Current psychosis
- Severe eating disorders
- Diagnosed personality disorders
- Extreme trauma or abuse
If you are in crisis and need immediate help, you can go to your nearest Accident & Emergency unit. There are also 24/7 emergency support services you can access by phone, online or text.
We have links to some Crisis services on our Emergency Contacts page, including for children and under 18’s:
We have a duty of care to our clients and counsellors to provide a safe and ethical service. As counsellors, it is also an ethical requirement for us to work within our areas and levels of competence. As most of our therapists are trainees on clinical placement, we are not able to offer counselling to clients with severe and complex presentations.
If the Affordable Counselling Network is not suitable for your counselling needs, there are other sources to find a counsellor, including BACP, NCPS or the Counselling Directory.
