Lynn Charnley - Counsellor/Psychologist

An on site counselling service is provided for the patients over the age of 16 registered with the GPs at Minden.

The service is provided because occasionally in our lives we may need some help to sort out a problem or difficulty; or we may be experiencing feelings that concern us. Counselling can help you make some sense of what is happening to you as well as supporting you through difficult periods of your life.

Counselling cannot solve all your problems and sometimes it is not the most suitable form of help, however the first time you meet your counsellor she will discuss with you what help you need and whether she feels she can offer this to you.

Our counsellor has a lot of experience dealing with a wide range of problems. Some of the most common problems being those of adjustment, due to life changes or a loss such as death of a loved one, loss of a job or loss of mobility due to illness or an accident. However there are many other problems she may be able to help you with.

If you feel that counselling could help you, you would have to make an appointment with your GP who will arrange for the counsellor to make contact with you.

The initial appointment will last up to one hour and will enable both the counsellor and yourself to determine if counselling would be helpful to you. If after that meeting which is confidential, a decision is made to begin counselling, the counsellor will arrange to see you for an appointment lasting up to 50 minutes. This is usually every two weeks for a number of sessions. People need varying amounts of time to be allocated, and this will be reviewed as the counselling progresses.

It is not usual for the counsellor to discuss details of the counselling sessions with the GP. However these may be occasions when she feels it would be advantageous to the patient to do so. This would only be done with the patient consent. When counselling is concluded a brief discharge letter will be sent to the referring GP outlining the main focus of therapy along with the outcome.

Any patient entering into counselling would need to be highly motivated. If a session had to be cancelled a further appointment would be given. However the counsellor's time is very valuable and too many cancellations may result in no further appointments being offered. We do ask that patients do all they can to attend appointments or to let us know as soon as possible if they cannot attend so that the appointment may be offered to another patient.

Occasionally after the initial assessment session the counsellor may feel another service may be more appropriate, for example a referral to the department of clinical psychology. This will be discussed with the patient and the referring GP. Assuming the patient is happy with the recommendation made a referral to the dept. of Clinical Psychology will take place.

Due to the high demand for counselling services relationship problems in the main are referred to the excellent Relate service (see Contacts).


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