FAQ's Children & Young People

What is counselling?
Counselling is spending time with a counsellor. This is a person who has been trained to be good at listening and helping people express how they feel. No-one can take away the pain we feel when someone close dies but many people find that coming here helps them to feel less alone and to understand things better.

What does coming to the Laura Centre mean?
At first it means coming to see a counsellor – often children come on their own but sometimes the first time they like to come with a parent or someone else special.

Sometimes we have groups for children and young people to meet each other and to share what it feels like when someone close to them has died.

Though the death of someone close brings very difficult and painful feelings it is really important to know that coming to the Laura Centre can also be fun.

Does it help?
Nothing can take away the pain when someone close dies. However most people who come to the Laura Centre say that it helps them. After children and young people have stopped coming to the centre we ask them what it has been like for them. Most of them say they feel happier than before they came.

Do I have to come? How long do I have to come for?
Sometimes it may be someone else’s idea for you to come and you may not know until you have met with a counsellor whether you want to come again. We always decide together about meeting and will never make someone come who does not want to.

Do I have to talk?
Some people find it hard to talk and find it helpful to do other things like play games, draw, make stuff, use puppets or make things with lego or just be quiet. You decide how much you feel like talking and what about.

For more information about our counselling services, please contact us