Relate Derby have been supporting local people for over 70 years. Our specially trained counsellors are experienced in working with adults, children and young people. Find out more about what we do and how we can help you here.

Access to Counselling

Face to face

Telephone

Webcam

Email

IAPT

Talk to a counsellor

We offer counselling in a wide range of ways so we can do our best to meet your needs, including online, email and phone options. Most people choose to meet face-to-face with their counsellor, but if you’re not sure which delivery type you would prefer, take a look at the information below or give us a call. Some people have their services in a mixture of ways to suit their needs week to week.

Face to Face Counselling

If you want face to face counselling, Relate will ask you to come for a consultation with a counsellor at our Centre in Derby; our admin team will discuss options with you.

This first session is to talk about your difficulties and to explore what help would be appropriate for you. The counsellor will explain what counselling involves and answer any questions you might have. If at the end of the consultation it is agreed that Relate counselling may be helpful we will ask you for details of your availability and will contact you when an appointment becomes available.

Counselling sessions are usually once a week and last approximately fifty minutes to one hour. You will see the same counsellor each time.

Telephone Counselling

Telephone Counselling is just like having a face-to-face counselling session, except you’re talking to a counsellor over the phone. Our phone counsellors have specialist training, so if you think you may want to have any of your sessions over the phone please check that you are working with one of our specialist phone team. You can either have all your sessions on the phone or have a particular session by this method when it is more convenient for you. If you do not live near one of our Centres or you often work away from home then phone counselling can be a convenient option that helps you to get the support you need at a time and place that suits you. The cost of counselling may vary depending on your circumstances. We can talk to you more about our charges when you call our booking line. Please contact us for more details. If you are looking for flexibility in how your counselling is delivered but don’t want phone counselling, ask us about webcam, and email options.

Webcam Counselling Options

We can deliver many of our services via webcam. You can either have all your sessions via webcam or have a particular session by this method when it is more convenient for you.

May be you work away for part of the year or perhaps you do not live near one of our Centres and transport is difficult for you? Webcam counselling means you can continue to get the support you need, ‘meeting face to face’ with your counsellor.

You will need to have a PC with a webcam, speakers and microphone and access to the internet.

Please contact us for more details. If you are looking for something different from face to face counselling but don’t want to use a webcam, ask us about phone, and email options.

Email Counselling

Relate email counselling is a confidential service enabling you to work with a Relate counsellor online using an exchange of emails.

You email us at with your description of what you are wanting help with and your counsellor will send a detailed reply to you within 5 working days of receiving it. You will be allocated a fully trained counsellor who will work with you for as long as you need help.

Unlike in face to face counselling, you can write your email and access the full text at any time and then refer back to it as often as you want.

To use this service you must be resident in the UK and over 18 years of age.

IAPT – Free Counselling for Anxiety and Depression

Relate Derby is funded by the Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust through Talking Mental Health Derbyshire to provide free counselling to anyone experiencing anxiety or depression. This service is called IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies.) Across England in the past year over a million people have used IAPT services for help to overcome their depression or anxiety and better manage their mental health.

Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services provide evidence-based psychological therapies to people with anxiety disorders and depression.

Psychological or ‘Talking’ therapies can help you to understand and work through your difficult feelings and develop strategies for coping better. The best therapy will depend on your particular situation.

You can be referred by a GP or other healthcare professional or you can self-refer by calling or emailing us.

We’ll talk to you to work out if this is the right service for you, and then we’ll offer you an appointment for initial assessment with one of our counsellors. The initial assessment and ongoing counselling sessions are 60 minutes long. We’ll ask you to complete some assessment questionnaires and return them to us at least 48hrs prior to your appointment.

Initial assessments are readily available each week if you are flexible with your days and times. The more flexible you are the more likely it is that we can see you quickly.

No. Relate Derby and Southern Derbyshire is commissioned by Talking Mental Health Derbyshire to offer NHS services which are free at the point of access.

Yes. Our opening hours are 9am – 9pm Monday to Thursday; 9am to 5pm on Fridays and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays. The more flexibility you have the sooner it’s likely that we can offer you an appointment.

To be offered an assessment appointment you need to be over 16 years old. There is no upper age limit. If you are under 16, please speak to us about our Safespeak services for children and young people.

We have accessible rooms and we also offer counselling by webcam or phone which you can access from your home. Please let us know when you contact us if you have any additional needs.