OUR SERVICES
Free, structured emotional support. All our services are confidential and delivered by trained volunteers and student counsellors.
1:1 COUNSELLING
Up to 12 sessions of free counselling with our trained student and volunteer counsellors. Sessions are typically weekly and last 50 minutes.
Our counsellors provide a safe, confidential space to explore what's troubling you. They're supervised by qualified professionals and work within clear ethical boundaries.
Important: Must have suicidal thoughts or history of suicidal thoughts
- ✓Up to 12 sessions
- ✓Trained student & volunteer counsellors
- ✓Professionally supervised
- ✓Waitlist: approx. 4 weeks
✓ SUITABLE FOR
- • Adults 18+ living in Essex
- • Mild to moderate mental health needs (low–moderate current risk)
- • Distress, stress, confidence issues
- • Suicidal thoughts/ideation if risk can be safely managed
- • May have a diagnosis, but focus is on here-and-now issues
✗ NOT SUITABLE FOR
- • Active suicidality or unmanageable risk
- • Complex or historic trauma as primary need
- • Active alcohol/drug addiction
- • Ongoing court proceedings
- • Unsafe for student counsellor work
- • Low mood & anxiety without suicidal thoughts
Low mood & anxiety without suicidal thoughts? We'll signpost you to Mind or mainstream support services.
✓ SUITABLE FOR
- • Adults 18+ in Essex
- • Must have suicidal thoughts/ideation
- • Emotionally struggling, socially isolated
- • Can manage group settings safely
- • Respectful to others and open to peer support
✗ NOT SUITABLE FOR
- • Under influence of alcohol/drugs at time of session
- • Aggressive, threatening, or erratic behaviour
- • Current psychosis, hallucinations, or delusions
- • Disruptive to others or breaches group boundaries
- • Unsafe to leave alone after session without professional support
COFFEE GROUPS
Peer-led groups where you can connect with others who understand what it's like to struggle. No pressure to share — just a warm, welcoming space.
Sometimes just being around others who get it can make a real difference. Our coffee groups are informal, friendly, and completely free.
- ✓Peer-led and informal
- ✓No pressure to share
- ✓Safe, welcoming environment
- ✓Waitlist: approx. 4 weeks
TELEPHONE BEFRIENDING
Regular scheduled calls with a trained volunteer befriender. Someone to listen, without judgement, when you need a friendly voice.
Befriending is ideal for clients who aren't suitable for counselling under our criteria but still need regular contact, emotional support, or signposting.
- ✓Regular scheduled calls
- ✓Trained volunteer befrienders
- ✓Emotional support and signposting
- ✓Waitlist: approx. 4 weeks
✓ SUITABLE FOR
- • Adults 18+ in Essex
- • Consistently reachable by phone
- • Not suitable for counselling but need regular contact
- • Need emotional support or signposting
✗ NOT SUITABLE FOR
- • Unreliable contact or refusal to engage
- • Threatening, inappropriate, or abusive language
- • Mental health deterioration requiring clinical or safeguarding intervention
- • Discloses intent to harm self/others without safety plan in place
SHARED EXCLUSION CRITERIA FOR ALL SERVICES
ROFMH cannot support any individual who:
- • Is under 18 years old
- • Doesn't live in Essex at time of referral
- • Is currently receiving inpatient treatment or in acute crisis mental health care
- • Requires multi-agency intervention (e.g. MAPPA, MARAC, court-mandated support)
- • Has a history of violence, abuse, or stalking toward others in a therapeutic or support setting
- • Is actively breaching confidentiality or boundaries with staff, volunteers, or other clients
If we can't help, we'll always signpost you to appropriate services.
READY TO REACH OUT?
Get in touch to find out which service might be right for you. We respond to all referrals within 72 hours.