A charity supporting people suffering from trauma, sexual violence and mental health issues is turning 50 this month. Norwich-based St Barnabas Counselling Centre provides support to people dealing with recovery and healing from grief or loss, anxiety or depression management and relationship difficulties. St Barnabas is a low-cost service for all Norfolk residents who can’t afford private counselling, meaning clients only pay what they can afford.
An 18-month therapy service is available for self-referring clients on an assessment basis, with a mix of 30 trainee and fully qualified therapists volunteering at the Derby Street counselling centre in NR2. Melpo Economou, director of St Barnabas, said: “We deliver 4,000 sessions a year, seeing 200 clients. “Out of the 36 postcodes in Norfolk, we see one client from 29 of them, covering 81pc of Norfolk.
” Melpo Economou, director of St Barnabas Counselling Centre in Norwich (Image: St Barnabas Counselling Centre) The charity already has a contract with Norwich City Council, supporting people at risk of homelessness, and Norwich University of the Arts to provide therapy to students over a three-year course. As of two years ago, free services to asylum seekers, refugees and migrants have been offered on a short-term basis of 12 to 15 sessions. Therapists work with online interpreters to support clients from over 13 countries.
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