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Farleigh Hospice Counselling Service

What is counselling

Counselling is a therapeutic intervention that provides a confidential, supportive and non-judgemental space to explore the emotional and psychological impact of living with a life-limiting illness, caring for someone who is unwell or coping with bereavement.
Delivered by qualified counsellors, counselling offers the opportunity to better understand thoughts, feelings and experiences, develop helpful ways of coping and support psychological wellbeing during times of change, uncertainty and loss.
Counselling may be appropriate for adults experiencing emotional or psychological difficulties associated with illness, caring responsibilities or bereavement.

Counselling may be particularly helpful for people who are experiencing:

  • Anxiety or persistent worry
  • Low mood or depression
  • Grief and bereavement
  • Anticipatory grief
  • The emotional impact of a life-limiting diagnosis
  • Loss, uncertainty or change
  • Difficulties associated with caring responsibilities
  • Relationship or family concerns
  • Loss of confidence, identity or purpose
  • Emotional distress that feels difficult to manage alone

Counselling can help people to:

  • Better understand difficult thoughts, feelings and emotions
  • Explore the impact of illness, caring or bereavement
  • Develop healthy and effective ways of coping
  • Build confidence and emotional resilience
  • Improve emotional wellbeing
  • Strengthen communication and relationships
  • Recognise personal strengths and existing sources of support
  • Develop greater self-awareness and understanding
  • Work towards goals that feel meaningful and achievable
  • Adapt to change while maintaining hope for the future
If counselling is clinically indicated from a counselling consultation, your counsellor will work alongside you to understand what is most important to you and agree the focus of your support.

Sessions provide a compassionate, confidential and non-judgemental space where you can explore your thoughts, feelings and experiences at a pace that feels right for you. Support is tailored to your individual needs and reviewed throughout therapy to ensure it continues to meet your goals.

Not everyone benefits from one-to-one counselling. Following your consultation, we may recommend other forms of support delivered by our counselling team that are better suited to your individual needs, preferences and circumstances.

These interventions provide emotional support, therapeutic understanding and opportunities to learn alongside others. They may be offered instead of counselling or alongside it.

Therapeutic Groups

Therapeutic Groups bring together people with shared experiences in a safe, supportive and professionally facilitated environment. Led by experienced counsellors, they provide an opportunity to explore thoughts, feelings and experiences alongside others who understand similar challenges.

Therapeutic Groups can help people to:

  • Feel less alone
    Gain insight through shared experiences
    Develop confidence and emotional resilience
    Learn new ways of coping
    Increase self-awareness and understanding
    Build supportive relationships with others
Groups usually meet over a planned series of sessions and are facilitated by one or more experienced counsellors. Participation is always voluntary, and there is never any expectation to share personal experiences unless you choose to do so.

Counsellor-facilitated Workshops

Our counsellor-facilitated workshops provide practical guidance, psychological insight and evidence-based coping strategies to help people better understand and manage the emotional challenges associated with illness, caring and bereavement.
Workshop topics may include:

  • Understanding anticipatory grief
  • Managing anxiety and uncertainty
  • Self-care and emotional wellbeing
  • Supporting children and young people
  • Coping with loss and change
  • Building resilience

Our workshop programme continues to evolve in response to the needs of the people we support, and additional topics may be introduced throughout the year.

Workshops are usually delivered as single sessions focused on a specific topic. Participation is voluntary, and people are encouraged to engage at a level that feels comfortable for them.

Structured Group Programmes

Our structured group programmes combine psychological education, guided discussion and personal reflection to help people better understand their experiences, develop practical coping strategies and build confidence alongside others facing similar challenges.

Facilitated by experienced counsellors, each programme follows a planned series of sessions focused on a particular stage of illness, caring or bereavement, providing a safe and supportive environment to learn, reflect and connect with others.
Programmes usually run over several structured sessions, each building on the previous one to support learning, reflection and personal growth. Sessions combine information, facilitated discussion and practical strategies, with participation always being voluntary.

Our structured group programmes continue to develop in response to the changing needs of the people we support. Current programmes include Growing with Grief, with additional programmes for patients, family members and carers being introduced as our Psychological and Wellbeing Services continue to evolve.

Continually developing our support

As part of our commitment to meeting the changing needs of the people we support, we continue to develop our range of therapeutic groups, workshops and structured group programmes.

New interventions may be introduced throughout the year in response to emerging needs, feedback from those using our services and developing evidence, helping to ensure our support remains relevant, responsive and person-centred.

Make a referral

For more information about referring yourself or someone you care for to our Psychological and Wellbeing Services, please visit our referrals page

Referrals for Psychological and Wellbeing Support