Adults and children’s counselling
Our counselling and bereavement services at Blythe House Hospice are open to both adults and children.
Counselling for adult hospice patients and carers
At Blythe House Hospice we offer a counselling/psychotherapy service for hospice patients and carers who are experiencing emotional distress as a result of their own life-limiting illness or the illness of someone significant to them. Counselling may be helpful if you:
- Are struggling to cope with your illness
- Need support during your loved one’s illness
- Are distressed about changes in your body and appearance
- Feel low and unable to enjoy life or feel depressed
- Feel anxious , stressed, worried or fearful
- Feel that your illness is affecting your relationships
- Are having difficulty coping with loss or bereavement
We have a team of qualified and highly skilled counsellors, supported by qualified volunteer counsellors and supervised trainees.
Bereavement support
When someone we love dies we grieve and our grief can feel overwhelming.
Unfortunately we can’t avoid, go around or over the pain of grief, we have to experience it so it is important that you allow yourself time to grieve, be kind to yourself and adapt to your loss in the way that is right for you.
You may or may not be experiencing the following;
- Shock, disbelief
- Anger, guilt, regret
- Yearning, loneliness,
- Sadness, depression
- Anxiety, panic
- Disturbed sleep, lack of appetite
- Lethargy, irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Finding relationships too demanding
- Wondering if you’re ‘going mad’
We support carers, families and friends following the death of someone who received care from Blythe House. If this does not apply to you, please speak to your GP about other counselling services that are available in our local area.
Children and young people’s counselling service
At Blythe House Hospice, our counselling and bereavement service is open to children and young people aged from 4 to 18 years old who have experienced the death of a parent/ guardian or a sibling, or if someone they love has a life-limiting illness, even if that person has not previously been supported by the hospice.
Children and young people usually work with their counsellor or play therapist for an hour a week over a period of time. This is a chance for them to express their feelings, sometimes through talking but more often through play or creative activities. We have a therapy room that has been specially adapted and filled with toys, games, craft materials and other resources that children can use to express themselves and work through their issues.
We make a difference to our young clients in three main areas:
- They will have less emotional and psychological distress.
- They will be more able to cope with changes in circumstances.
- They will have greater self-esteem and well-being.
We offer counselling support to children and young people aged 4–18 who:
- Are living with a parent, guardian, or sibling who has a life-limiting condition, even if that person has not accessed services from Blythe House Hospice.
- Have experienced the death of a parent, guardian, or sibling, even if that person has not accessed services from Blythe House Hospice.
- Have been affected by the illness or death of a loved one who has accessed services from Blythe House Hospice.
Children and young people may meet one or more of the above criteria.
Referrals
Referrals to our counselling and bereavement services are accepted from health and social care professionals, relatives, carers and friends, and patients themselves.
At a Loss
At a Loss is the UK’s national bereavement signposting website. Wherever you live, you can easily find bereavement support services appropriate to your loss in one place, along with practical information, helpful resources and helplines.
