Together is a project funded by the Community Fund to provide family therapy and counselling for children, young people and their families across Dudley in the West Midlands. It is delivered with our partners at the What? Centre.

Family counselling can help those in close relationships to better understand and support each other. Family counselling has been shown to improve the mental health, attainment, attendance and attitude to learning of children and young people. By working with the family as a whole unit, our specialist counsellors can consider the mental health needs of all of the family and find the best way to support the young person. Typically, we adopt a 2 pronged approach, supporting the young person independently while working with the family to provide some consistency of support at home.

Research shows that where parents or carers are involved with the counselling being provided to a young person, this can help them to feel more supported and are more able to engage with the process. Everyone is working collectively and consistently to address the challenges the young person is struggling with, while the family is encouraged explore difficult thoughts and emotions safely, understand each other’s perspectives, and better appreciate each other’s needs.