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FreshSteps

Low Cost Counselling and Psychotherapy for Children and Young People

Children, adolescents and parents or carers needing support
FreshSteps at CCPE offers counselling and psychotherapy to children, young people and their families.  This is provided by the FreshSteps scheme, enabling vulnerable clients to have access to high quality therapy provided by students on the CCPE MA programme in Transpersonal Child, Adolescent & Family Therapy.  FreshSteps is committed to promoting the emotional and developmental wellbeing of the young persons and families it serves.  All therapists have undergone an Enhanced DBS Check.

What is Child Psychotherapy?

Child Psychotherapy can help with a range of problems such as:

  • Bereavement, divorce, step-parenting, fostering
  • Attachment difficulties
  • Problems at school such as bullying, making friends, lack of confidence, feeling different
  • Low self-esteem or poor self-image, managing difficult feelings
  • Coping with change, illness and disability
  • Trauma and experiences of abuse

Play as a Therapeutic Tool

With very young children, a psychotherapist does not usually discuss problems. Problems are usually explored in the context of play. Play is often called the work of the child.  To a trained eye, it is a powerful form of communication about a child’s ways of experiencing his or her world and a way of expressing difficulties the child may be experiencing. Play is also a form of healing.  The child is able to move on when they "play out" fears and difficult experiences in a context in which they can be understood. If parents are puzzled by a child’s description of fun in therapy, they should be aware that much more than play is taking place.  All therapy sessions take place in our play room located in the basement.  There is a small waiting area adjacent to the playroom.

Psychotherapy with Adolescents

Individual psychotherapy with adolescents is similar to the therapy that adults engage in. It is a place where they can focus on themselves, on their experiences and relationships, on their problems with family or peers and on their hopes, dreams and fears. Psychotherapy can help with issues such as:

  • The transition into puberty and adolescence
  • Issues of identity, self-image and self-esteem
  • Relationships and peer group pressure, bullying, shyness,
  • Sexual and gender identity problems
  • Bereavement, divorce, step-parenting, fostering
  • Eating problems
  • Experiences of abuse
  • Substance misuse
  • Self harm
  • Anger management
  • Finding purpose and direction in life

Assessment

You will be asked to fill in an initial referral form after which you will be asked to attend an assessment interview of approximately 50 minutes either with or without the child you wish to have therapy.  It is likely that the therapist will wish to spend some time alone with your child as part of the assessment.  The assessment interview enables the assessor who is a senior psychotherapist, to find out what the problems are and get to know the family circumstances.  They will also decide whether the service we can offer is an appropriate one for your child.  It is also a chance for you to ask questions and to make sure you feel therapy is the right approach for your child.

Adolescents who self refer may, if it is deemed appropriate by the assessor, attend the assessment interview without their parents and may be referred for therapy without their parents’ consent.

An assessment is £60 (£30 if the family is on benefits).  Low cost therapy with Freshsteps is normally £35 a session, but can be less for for clients in real hardship. No potential client should avoid coming for cost reasons as the charity may be able to help further.

The Therapist

For low cost therapy, clients will be referred to a student on the CCPE Masters in Transpersonal Child, Adolescent & Family Therapy programme.  All therapists will be in supervision, be subject to the CCPE Code of Practice and Ethics, the CCPE Complaints Procedure and will have an Enhanced DBS Check.

Note: Full cost child and adolescent psychotherapy is also available at CCPE from qualified and UKCP registered child psychotherapists separately from the FreshSteps programme.