Ages 3 to 18 · Manchester
We work with children aged 3 to 18, many of them autistic or with ADHD, using play, art and conversation. Sessions can be at our clinic, in your child's school, or online.
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Sand tray, clay, puppets, Lego and a lot of paper. Older ones mostly just want to talk.
Start here
Things to look out for, how sessions work, fees, and what happens on the first call.
Read on Young peopleWhat counselling is actually like, and what to expect if you decide to come.
Have a look Schools & GPsWe take referrals from SENCOs, pastoral staff and GPs. Get in touch and we'll explain how it works.
Contact usWhat you might be noticing
A lot of parents ring us unsure whether things are 'bad enough' for counselling. You don't need to have decided anything before you call. These are some of the things we hear most often.
If the usual advice hasn't helped
Reward charts, calm-down corners, sitting down for a proper talk. They work for some children. For others, especially younger children and many autistic and ADHD children, they depend on the child being able to explain how they feel, and that's often the one thing they can't do yet.
In counselling your child doesn't have to explain anything. They come at the same time each week and can play, draw, build or talk. Over the weeks the play tells us a great deal, and we use it to help them understand what has been going on and find ways of coping that suit them.
How we help
We're integrative counsellors, which means we don't stick to one method. Depending on the child, a session might involve the sand tray, drawing, clay, games, stories or simply talking. With teenagers it's usually more conversation, along with practical ways of handling anxiety and anger.
Younger children work things out through play. They can show us a worry with a few toy figures long before they can describe it.
As children start to feel understood, parents often see them become calmer and more confident, at home and at school.
We meet parents regularly to talk about what we're noticing and what might help at home.
At our clinic, in school with the school's support, or online. Teenagers often prefer video sessions from their own room.
If we don't think we're the right help for your child, we'll tell you on the first call.
How it works
You tell us what's going on and we'll say honestly whether we think we can help.
Just you, without your child. We go through their history, what's worrying you and what you'd like to be different.
Same day and time each week, at our clinic, in school or online. Times are flexible, including after school. Children settle better when they know what to expect.
We meet again to look at how it's going and decide together what happens next.
Our lead counsellor
Gitta has been working with children and young people for 25 years, and a large part of that time has been with autistic children and children with ADHD.
She's an integrative counsellor for children and young people, with a Foundation Degree in Children and Young People and specialist training in autism. She is a registered member of the BACP. She has worked with a great many families across Manchester, from all sorts of backgrounds, and she speaks three languages. She's DBS checked, fully insured and has regular clinical supervision. Parents often mention how quickly their child settled with her.
More about GittaFees
Ask us
Fees depend on where sessions happen and how often. We'll go through them with you on the free call.
Confidentiality
Children need to know they can say things without it all being passed on, so we don't repeat what they tell us word for word. We do keep you updated on how things are going and on anything you can do to help at home. If we were ever worried about a child's safety we would act on it, and we explain this to every child, in a way that makes sense for their age, at their first session.
Not word for word. Children talk more freely when they know it won't all be repeated, so we keep the detail private. You'll still hear how things are going, because we meet with parents regularly to talk about what we're seeing and what might help at home. If we were ever worried about a child's safety, we would act on it, and where we can we'd speak to you first.
Yes, and this is one of the main reasons we work through play. Young children, and a lot of autistic and ADHD children, can show us with toy figures or a drawing what they couldn't begin to put into words. Nobody is made to talk.
It varies a lot. Many children come for around 12 weekly sessions, some need fewer and some carry on for longer. We review it with you every six sessions or so, so you're never signed up to something open-ended.
Wherever suits your child best. We have a clinic in north Manchester with a fully equipped playroom. Gitta can also see your child in school, which we arrange with the school's SENCO or pastoral team. And we work online by video with families anywhere in the UK, which often suits teenagers. We'll talk it through with you on the free call.
Fees depend on where sessions happen and how often, so we go through them with you on the free call. The call itself costs nothing, and there's no obligation to book anything afterwards.
No, you can contact us directly. Plenty of the children we see are waiting for an assessment or don't have a diagnosis at all. If we think an assessment would be useful, we'll say so and tell you where to go.
Gitta speaks three languages, and plenty of children switch between languages without thinking about it. Ask us on the free call and we'll tell you whether we can work in your family's language.
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Free printable: School meeting planner
Tell us what's been happening and ask whatever you like. If we don't think we're the right people to help, we'll tell you who might be.
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