A YORK mental health charity which offers counselling to women suffering from depression, anxiety, bereavement and domestic abuse says the number of sessions it has provided in the last 12 months more than doubled because of the pandemic.

York Women’s Counselling Service offered more than 1,000 counselling sessions in the last 12 months. “That is more than double the number in 2020 due to the mental health impact of the pandemic,” said operations manager Charlotte Walton.

None of that would have been possible without the contribution of the charity’s hundreds of volunteer counsellors, Charlotte said.

To mark the end of Volunteers Week today, the charity is highlighting the contribution made by its volunteers. The charity works with women for up to 20 weeks, providing what Charlotte calls ‘compassionate and bespoke’ talking therapy. And the contribution of volunteers is vital, she said.

“We have 20 volunteer therapists, six trustees and a number of people with special skills such as IT, finance and legal advice,” she said. “Together they are an incredible, dedicated team. We couldn’t do our work without them.”

Volunteer therapist Chloe believes that all women should be able to access professional help and that finance shouldn’t be a barrier.

“We offer a range of therapies which means we can match each client to a suitable therapist,” she said. “I’m a creative therapist, specifically dramatherapy, which means I work with objects, music, sound, visualisation and breathing to help clients feel safe to explore their trauma.

"Places like York Women’s Counselling are life-changing, and it’s so important that good quality, long-term therapy is available to everyone, and not just to those who can afford to pay.”

For counselling volunteer Elizabeth, it’s all about giving back.

“I love offering my professional skills to a small charity like York Women’s," she said. "I can see first-hand the difference I am making and feel privileged to be part of an organisation that is doing such amazing work.”

York Women’s Counselling Service was founded in 2000 by Betty Harrison who, along with other concerned women, recognised the need for a free or low-cost professional counselling service for women in York.

It has provided more than 6,500 hours of free or low-cost counselling to women experiencing mental health difficulties due to past or recent trauma during the past 22 years

The charity has gown over the last 22 years, and now operates from the Priory Street Centre. But it remains true to its original values, Charlotte says - with about half of all clients donating only a minimal amount (or nothing), and counsellors offering their time as volunteers.

Trustee Susie Braithwaite says Volunteers Week is a great opportunity to recognise how instrumental volunteers have been in shaping York Women’s Counselling Service.

“It’s wonderful to look back over our 22 year history and see that, in terms of our values and service, very little has changed. We just do it on a much bigger scale!” she said.

l Donate at yorkwomenscounselling.org/donate