How We Work

Our People

Clients

Our clients come to the centre seeking help. On low incomes, they may have realised that private support often comes at too great a cost, particularly in the current climate. Clients may also be referred to us via their GP or signposted from other services.

The Process: Clients chat with our office staff and fill in their Pre-Assessment Questionnaires (see ‘Get Support’). They have an Initial Consultation appointment with an assessor and, when appropriate, are assigned to a counsellor/therapist. From here, their sessions begin.

They are at the heart of the charity and almost all decisions are made with them in mind.

Counsellors & Therapists

The centre has over 30 volunteer counsellors and therapists currently providing support to clients. Some of our counsellors are towards the end of their training and volunteer with us as part of their course placement. Our volunteers come from all walks of life, covering a wide range of therapeutic techniques. What we can offer varies from time to time but has included:

  • Integrative Counselling

  • Person-Centred Counselling

  • Life Coaching

  • NLP and Hypnotherapy

  • Craniosacral Therapy

  • Spiritual Healing

  • Reiki

Staff & Volunteers

The centre was founded by Bobby Neil, and a few ‘Neils’ are still present there today, continuing her legacy. Alongside them are a selection of carefully-chosen volunteers and trustees, several of whom have been on board for over a decade.

We are a close-knit, committed team who care deeply for the centre and what it stands for.

FAQs

  • A mandatory booking fee of £10 is required to secure your session for the following week. This fee goes towards the rental and upkeep costs of the centre.

    Many clients donate to the centre beyond the booking fee and this is very gratefully received. The £10 is a mandatory minimum that we’ve had to set - donations in general are essential to our little charity so please give what you can.

  • If a client needs to cancel and gives more than 48 hours notice, they are entitled to a refund, or we can carry their booking fee forward to the following scheduled session.

    If a session is cancelled with less than 48 hours’ notice, the centre will not refund the booking fee. If a client cancels frequently, the centre may decide to assign the sessions to another client.

  • With over 30 volunteer counsellors and therapists, it’d be hard to summarise them all under one umbrella! What they all have in common, however, is a desire to help people. They, like us, believe that support should be accessible. Many of our counsellors are in the process of accruing their qualifying hours, having completed the learning section of their courses.

  • Our reception staff group is made up of voluntary and paid staff, all present for the same reason: they want to help those in need. Many of our staff have received therapy of their own from The Quiet Mind Centre and so have a personal connection to the charity.

  • In a sense, yes. Firstly, clients must be over 18 years of age.

    We largely work on the basis of honesty with our clients. The founding aim of the centre is to provide support to those on low incomes and so we ask that those who apply would otherwise be unable to afford therapy privately. Please see the ‘what conditions/challenges can you help with’ section for further information of eligibility.

  • Often clients come with pre-existing diagnoses or specific challenges. It is important that these are mentioned during the Pre-Assessment Questionnaire so that your needs are captured accurately. We don’t keep a list of ‘yes’ and ‘no’ conditions, as such, but prefer to assess your needs on an individual basis.

  • If you do not qualify for treatment at the centre for financial reasons (not means-tested, just honesty), we can refer you to excellent therapists who have their own private practices. If your specific needs require a different set of skills than our current volunteers possess, we can signpost you to other organisations/routes for you to find the help you need. We sincerely care about both your wellbeing and that of our therapists and, as a result, we think client-therapist placements are very important.