Are our trainee counsellors qualified to offer therapy?

All of our counsellors have successfully passed their Readiness to Practice Assessment, a formal evaluation conducted by their accredited training institutions. This assessment ensures that each counsellor has demonstrated the necessary skills, ethical understanding, and professional competence required to begin working with clients on their own.

We are confident in the quality of care our trainee counsellors provide. They receive regular supervision and ongoing training throughout their placement with us.

How do student counsellors work independently?

At The Welcome Room, our counsellors work independently with their clients as part of their professional training and development. Each counsellor is responsible for their own therapeutic practice and the clients they see.

While they are supported through regular clinical supervision and training, the counselling sessions are conducted solely between the counsellor and their client. This ensures a safe, confidential, and professional space for clients to explore their concerns, while also giving trainee counsellors the opportunity to build their experience and skills in practice.

By choosing to work with a trainee counsellor, clients benefit from dedicated one-to-one support and the assurance that the counsellor is developing their professional competence under appropriate supervision.

What happens if I cannot make a session?

We understand that sometimes plans change and that unexpected things can happen. If you are unable to attend a scheduled session, we ask that you give us at least 48 hours' notice wherever possible. Sessions are paid for in advance and, in line with our cancellation policy, sessions cancelled with less than 48 hours' notice are non-refundable.

Your regular session time is reserved specifically for you, which means we are unable to offer it to another client at short notice. Your counsellor also sets aside time to prepare for and reflect on your sessions, so keeping your regular appointment helps support continuity and gives you the best opportunity to benefit from counselling.

We appreciate that sometimes things are unavoidable. If you know that you will need to miss a session, please let your counsellor know as soon as you can. Even when a session cannot be refunded, having as much notice as possible helps us with planning and allows us to be considerate of everyone's time.