NHS Counselling

GP Surgery NHS Referrals: The Awareness Centre provides primary care counselling services in Lambeth, working in partnership with GP (doctor) surgeries. If you are a patient at one of our partnership surgeries, you may be referred to us for NHS counselling by your GP. After referral from your GP or practice nurse, an initial assessment will be offered within 5 working days. We do not have any waiting lists for patients. We will offer you weekly 50 minute counselling sessions. Appointments are available during Centre opening hours or at your GP surgery during the surgery’s opening hours. Your counselling sessions are confidential, free of charge and run for 6-12 sessions. Although your GP will be given some statistical information regarding the outcome of your counselling, the content of the sessions will not be disclosed to your GP without your written consent. If you are interested in receiving counselling via the NHS, please speak to your GP.

All our counsellors abide by the BACP Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy and The Awareness Centre has BACP Organisational Membership. Our Counsellors appreciate and respect difference and diversity in culture, age, ethnicity, race, gender, sexuality, physical ability & spirituality.

If you represent a GP surgery looking for a counselling service, then please contact us. We will be happy to provide you with a proposal for your current counselling service in a format that will support your Primary Care Trust funding. We can improve your current counselling service and work in partnership with you according to your particular requirements. As part of our contracting process with you, references will be available from our current GP surgery partners. You can use our premises or we can provide a service within your surgery. All our counsellors are fully insured under The Awareness Centre’s insurance policy.

If you are a student looking for a Counselling Placement you can download our handbook and application form. Please note that our placements are normally restricted to trainees who are in at least their second year of training, unless you have satisfactory relevant clinical experience. We are particularly interested in receiving applications from students and trainees who have experience in addiction work.