Advice on counselling services
Information and signposting to services
Information on counselling and psychotherapy practitioners and services is available from a range of sources, including the main national bodies for counselling and psychotherapy – the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), the British Psychological Society (BPS), the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) and the Confederation of Scottish Counselling Agencies (COSCA).The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) produces a national directory of practitioners that can be accessed on their website.
If you are a larger employer, you may consider setting up an internal counselling provision. For smaller organisations or for those who prefer an external supplier, there are a number of commercial providers such as Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs). These often provide a range of additional services.
NHS Plus is a network of occupational health services around the country. Under this scheme, NHS occupational health expertise can be provided for a fee to other local organisations in the public and private sector. NHS Plus has a web site with geographical listings of services.
The type of help offered
Most counselling provided by employers is short-term. This is usually between five and eight sessions with referral on if longer-term help is needed. Sessions usually focus on supportive work and practical problem-solving rather than in-depth analysis.Where to go for further help:
The Association of Counselling at Work (ACW) is the division of the BACP most concerned with counselling and psychosocial health in the workplace, and offers advice to employers on all aspects of developing service provision.The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has produced detailed guidance on counselling for health service staff, much of which is relevant to other settings. Counselling for staff in health service settings: a guide for employers and managers outlines a framework for establishing provision and a range of practice standards and is available on www.rcn.org.uk
Advice on Employee Assistance Programmes, including a provider listing, is available from the Employee Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA), the professional body for EAPs.
