When Central Counselling and Training Service (CCTS) began in 1995, few were receiving the psychological help they needed; only those who could afford to pay private fees received the therapeutic services required. Norma Parrack, with the support of New Community Church, responded to this need by founding CCTS – an affordable professional therapeutic service for the community, with an additional bursary for those in financial difficulty. In 2008 the government responded too and initiated IAPT, (Increased Access to Psychological Therapies) to address the mental health inequality.
CCTS has developed and provided counselling to thousands in the Southampton area over the past 28 years. A substantial number of new counsellors have been trained through CCTS and have subsequently started similar counselling services in Edinburgh, Bournemouth, and the New Forest, as well as individual practices. CCTS has supported these new centres and individuals with supervision and training. All this has been possible because of the people who have been part of the CCTS team over the years. They are too many to name in person, but we are grateful for their commitment and generosity and for the part they have played in CCTS’s success.
Over the last 6 years, CCTS has experienced significant changes, including the retirement of senior members of the management and tutor teams and the subsequent closure of the professional qualifying courses previously run within the service. The recent pandemic has also created further challenges to the way we operate, as has the loss of permanent dedicated counselling rooms. Finally, in the current financial climate, we are noticing an increase in requests for the bursary which we do not have the capacity to sustain. Whilst individually these challenges may not prove insurmountable, the cumulative impact is significant.
Despite these recent challenges, CCTS has continued to serve Southampton and its surrounding area well. Our wonderful current team of counsellors have prioritised the needs of their clients throughout this difficult time. The feedback we receive testifies to the enormous value of the work undertaken. It is therefore with sadness that we have come to the conclusion that CCTS is no longer a viable option for meeting the needs presented. For this reason, CCTS will be drawing to a close at the end of the year. Throughout the next three months we will not be taking new referrals however we remain committed to meeting the needs of our current clients and supporting our counsellors until 15th December 2023.
We have had many conversations with churches and community services across the city, over the past year. Consistently concern has been expressed about increasing mental health issues. It seems important to allow a new vision to emerge in response to the call to help bind up the broken–hearted. Endings can be sad, but they can also create space for new beginnings.