Initial Assessment

The initial assessment helps us to establish what your needs are and what kind of counselling or support will be most helpful to you. It is also an opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have. It’s helpful to know that the initial assessment is not a counselling session, and we will not be discussing the past trauma in any detail.

If we feel that Axis Counselling is the right service for you, we will put you on our waiting list, however if we feel that Axis Counselling is not the right service for you, we will discuss this with you and will signpost/refer you to a more appropriate service.

We offer a range of support therapies including:

• Pre-Trial Counselling is offered to people who have reported sexual violence to the police and are currently pursuing a case through the criminal justice system. Our aim is to support you in developing coping strategies, building self-esteem and confidence while the investigation and court processes are ongoing.
• LINK Counselling Is a specialist counselling service for family members, parents, carers, partners and loved ones. Our aim is to help people to understand the possible effect of the sexual assault on the victim/survivor, but also to support family members with any difficult feelings that they may be experiencing.
• Trauma Focused Counselling is a longer-term therapy aimed at helping you to overcome the effects of the past trauma, and to understand how this may be affecting your thoughts, feelings and behaviours today; allowing you to take control of your life.
• Fast Track Counselling is offered to people who have attended and been referred by the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (S.A.R.C.)We will work with you on a one-to-one basis, understanding the importance of taking time to build a trusting therapeutic relationship, and helping you to develop coping strategies so that you can engage in the counselling process safely. We have male and female counsellors to enable a choice about the gender of your therapist.
• Groups and Workshops These have been temporarily paused; however, we are working on several groups and workshops and will provide more information soon.
• Online self-help programme: Taste of Recovery with Axis (TORWA)TORWA is an online guided self-help programme that aims to help people aged 16+ to identify the effects of sexual abuse, to develop coping strategies and to improve emotional wellbeing. This is available to everyone, and you are able to self-refer via this link on our website, Taste of Recovery with Axis.

Training and Qualifications

All Axis counsellors are qualified and hold a professional qualification in counselling.

Axis counsellors are specifically trained to work with sexual trauma via induction training and as part of our continued professional development programme (CPD).

As well as specialising in working with sexual trauma,  we also have  counsellors who are specifically trained to work with:

• Children & Young people
• Males
• People with Learning Disabilities

All counsellors receive regular clinical supervision, and line management supervision and hold a DBS certificate.

Axis is an organisational member of BACP and abide by their Code of Ethics and Practice. BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions

If you have any questions regarding Axis counsellors training and qualifications, please email info@axiscounselling.org.uk