Frequently Asked Questions
What is counselling? Counselling is talking with another person who listens without judging you. Everything you tell them will be completely confidential.
How does it help? It gives you an opportunity, on a one-to-one basis, to talk through your loss and to explore your feelings about it. Cruse volunteers seek to help you help yourself. It also gives you the chance to say things you might not be able to say to friends or family.
How long does counselling take? It depends. We have helped people with a "one-off" session, and there are others who have had our support for many months. Ending counselling is always a mutually-agreed decision. Each individual session lasts for an hour.
Who provides the counselling? Our volunteers are all extensively trained in aspects of bereavement and loss, and how to support those who have suffered a bereavement. Many volunteers are either professionally-qualified counsellors or are in training to become one.
Where does counselling take place? Our volunteers see you in your own home, although we can sometimes see you at a separate location.
Do you counsel children? We have a group of counsellors who have been additionally trained to work with children. We can offer this service to a small number of children, with their parents' consent. Children are either seen at home or sometimes, with the help of the head teacher, at school in a private room.
Do you do group counselling sessions? Generally we see people individually, on a one-to-one basis.
Does my doctor need to refer me? No. We can only accept self-referrals. If you wish us to help you, you will need to make the request yourself. If someone you know needs help, they will have to make the call themselves.
What happens when I phone you for help? The answerphone is checked several times a day for messages. Once your call is picked up, a member of our Telephone Team - a trained counsellor - will call you back, and take some details. If you need counselling, your details will be passed to a trained counsellor who will come to see you to find out a little more about you. You will then be allocated a counsellor who you will see, probably on a weekly basis, for as long as you agree you need.
How much do you charge? Counselling sessions are free, as is any advice or support given by our Telephone Team. Donations are always welcome, however.