Gloucestershire charity TIC+, providing free counselling for children, young people and their families, expand their Family Counselling service thanks to funding raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, in their 25th anniversary year.
Since 1994, TIC+ has offered the opportunity for Gloucestershire-based young people, aged 9-21, and their families to talk to a counsellor about anything that’s worrying them, working together to find better ways to cope. A quarter-century later, TIC+ offers innovative face-to-face and online mental health services that children and young people can easily and independently access, giving them the early help they need.
Launched in 2017, TIC+ also has a Family Counselling team that runs Family Counselling sessions, free of charge from their office in central Gloucester.
Judith Bell, Director of Counselling at TIC+ explains:
“Families can feel cut adrift when a child has poor mental health and they don’t know where to turn for support. The aim of the TIC+ family counselling service is to counter the isolation that families can feel, the sense that they are fighting for their child and for their family alone”.
TIC+ family counsellors don’t judge or take sides. They encourage each family member to share their thoughts and feelings, and help the family to resolve their difficulties and find a way forward.
When asked about the impact of counselling on family life, a dad who, with his family, recently attended Family Counselling sessions said:
“Just being able to talk and not be judged about any of our problems. Everything the service provides is fantastic. I would like to say a massive thank you to Sharon for saving our family”
Thanks to a recent award from the Postcode Community Trust, a grant-giving charity funded entirely by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, TIC+ will be able to help an additional 40 families over the next twelve months.
Julie Taylor and Sharon Meredith, Family Counsellors at TIC+, describe the impact the award will have:
“As a team we are thrilled to be awarded this money from Postcode Community Trust. It will give more families a valuable space to explore challenges with communication and ensure that all members of the family are heard, and understood; sessions can be enlightening, for parents and young people. It is a privilege to be part of the work that brings families closer together.” If you think your family could benefit from Family Counselling with TIC+ and would like to find out more, please visit www.ticplus.org.uk/parents-carers/family-counselling