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Respect for All
Counselling Services
PLEASE READ & NOTE:
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We are currently negotiating new funding processes with the NHS for our counselling service and we will not be accepting new referrals for this service until April 1st 2026.
You can still submit referrals for our Psychoeducational Autism Awareness groups and Peer Support Groups during this period. Further information is available on the Group Services page.
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If you are a professional looking to refer, you can either inform your patient / client to self-refer for this service from April and pass them the link to our website, or you can place the referral yourself from April via the website.
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From April, our counselling service will be open to autistic people, autistic people with co-occurring conditions, learning disabled people, and their families and carers who live in Greater Manchester and are registered with a Greater Manchester GP.
We offer:
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1 to 1 counselling for people aged 16 and over
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Family counselling. This includes:
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Working with under 16s alongside their parents / carers
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Parents / carers
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Neurotypical siblings in the context of their neurodivergent sibling/s
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Couples counselling (in the context of autism / learning disabilities)
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Please see below for more information on each service
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Our counsellors all either identify as neurodiverse or have significant lived experience of autism and/or learning disabilities. We use various models of therapy tailored to meet the needs of the client. Therapeutic approaches may include, but are not limited to, person centred, integrative, solution focused, trauma informed, play therapy, neuro linguistic coaching (NLP), cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), coaching and non-verbal and art therapy.
We work with everything from low to mid-level support needs, such as anxiety and depression, to more complex, multi-layered support needs which might include dual-diagnosis, trauma, abuse, eating disorders, self harm or PTSD.
Our counselling sessions mostly take place online or on the telephone. We may be able to offer face to face counselling, but please note that the waiting list for this may be considerably longer as we have limited capacity.​
Our counsellors are either qualified self-employed counsellors or are student counsellors on placement with us in their final year of study. All students have passed their competency to practice assessment, conducted by their College or University.
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1 to 1 Counselling Service (ages 16+)
Our 1 to 1 Counselling Service offers you
12 x 50 minute counselling sessions.
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We are flexible and adaptable in our approach to counselling as we are led by you, the client. You might like your sessions to take place weekly or more spread out. We aim to pair you with a counsellor that matches your availability, personality and support needs.​
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Counselling is not a 'quick fix'. Counselling requires commitment, self reflection and being open to change. Your counsellor will guide and support you to understand yourself better in the context of your life experiences. They will help you figure out and work towards the goals you set for yourself during your journey with us.
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We ask that anyone seeking counselling is in a place where you are open to self reflection, the exploration of your experiences and ready to do the work needed for the change you want. You might not feel ready for change straight away, but you being open to it is what's most important.
Family Counselling Service
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Our Family Counselling Service offers you 12 x 50 minute counselling sessions.
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From our experience and the feedback we receive, counselling for under-16s is most effective when the entire family is engaged in the journey. We’ll work together with you as parents and carers, and with your children, to explore how autism and learning disability interact with your family dynamics and individual experiences. We work flexibly with families and might see you all together or separately depending on your needs and situation.
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We can also work with neurotypical siblings, as their experiences in the family dynamic are equally as important.
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Please also take a look at our Group Services page as we have interactive online autism groups for parents and carers which are psychoeducational in nature and run throughout the year. ​
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Parent / Carer Counselling Service
Our Parent / Carer Counselling Service offers between 6 and 12 x 50 minute counselling sessions.
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You might want support as you are feeling overwhelmed at home, just need a space to offload with others who understand, or are struggling with the behavioural, emotional, social and/or sensory differences in your autistic and/or learning disabled child.
An increased awareness of how a child or young person's daily life can be impacted by autism and/or learning disabilities can be a powerful tool in helping you to further create a supportive environment.
Our autism groups for parents and carers, where you can meet other people in similar situations, might also be a great option!