East London Counselling Service

As of 16.03.23 East London Counselling Service is currently not taking any new referrals. Please check back for further announcements.

East London Counselling Service

Our East London Counselling Service (ELCS) is a free, community counselling service, based in Leyton, offering time-limited counselling to anyone living and/or working in the London boroughs of Waltham Forest, Hackney, Newham and Redbridge.

All daytime, evening and Saturday morning counselling sessions are now being offered in-person at our counselling rooms.

Who comes for counselling?

We offer counselling to people who want to speak about a wide range of experiences that are causing difficulties in their life. These include bereavement and loss, stress at work and college, anxiety, for the future, Covid related anxiety, family pressures, relationship difficulties and sexuality.

What kind of counselling do we offer?

All of our counselling is provided by counsellors who are in training or who have recently qualified. Counsellors follow the humanistic integrative approach. We do not offer Cognitive Behavioiural Therapy.

You can find out more about the days and times we operate the sessions on our online referral form.

Counselling sessions occur on the same day and at the same each week for the 12 sessions. Missed or cancelled sessions will be lost from the initial offer of 12 sessions.

Counselling is provided by counsellors who are in training or who have recently qualified. Counsellors are generally humanistic integrative in their approach. This means acknowledging that different clients have different needs and no single approach works for everyone. A strong focus is put on the relationship between counsellor and client. We do not offer Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

How long will you wait for counselling?

We operate a first come, first served waiting list. On average the waiting time is 12-16 weeks, although it can be longer if people have limited availability to attend counselling sessions. Everyone is assessed over the phone prior to seeing a counsellor and if accepted are offered 12 sessions.

Our service does not accept referrals from professionals. People who wish to access the counselling service must refer themselves through the referral portal. Details of the days and times when we offer counselling sessions are included on the online referral form via the portal.

The East London Counselling Service is not connected to or funded by NHS Improving Access to Psychological Therapy (IAPT) services. It does not receive any funding from any of the London boroughs we serve or receive any grants.

If you'd like to refer yourself to the East London Counselling Service after reading about what we offer, please do so via the button below.

For further information on these services please contact: [email protected]

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