Brook's position on counselling

Brook believes it is important to listen to young people and help them make decisions that they consider to be the right ones for them.

Access to counselling should be an integral part of a sexual health service for young people to help young people identify, express and clarify their feelings and needs, so they can make positive choices for themselves.

Brook has always employed counsellors as part of the service and fully supports measures to help young people make positive rather than pressured choices about sex.

Background information

The provision of counselling is central to the integrated service offered to young people by Brook Centres.

The British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy definition of counselling is that:

'Counselling takes place when a counsellor sees a client in a private and confidential setting to explore a difficulty the client is having, distress they may be experiencing or perhaps their dissatisfaction with life, or loss of a sense of direction and purpose. It is always at the request of the client as no one can properly be 'sent'for counselling. By listening attentively and patiently the counsellor can begin to perceive the difficulties from the client's point of view and can help them to see things more clearly, possibly from a different perspective. Counselling is a way of enabling choice or change or of reducing confusion. It does not involve giving advice or directing a client to take a particular course of action.'

Brook offers clients counselling in areas of contraception, unplanned pregnancy, sexual health and personal, emotional and sexual difficulties.

The counselling service aims to help young people identify, express and clarify their feelings and needs, so they can make positive choices for themselves.

Research has found support for counselling amongst young people. A survey in 1995 found that they want sexual health services to provide counselling on contraception, pregnancy options and sexual health. [1] They also want 'emotional' counselling for issues like relationships, fears about first sex, concerns about sexuality and so on. [2]

Brook provides free and confidential sexual health services and advice for young people under 25. Brook is a registered charity number 239966.