It’s Good To Talk

Q. Who are the young people you work with?

A.There is no common background. It might someone who has experienced the extreme violence or someone from seemingly ‘normal’ family where disputes have led to emotional abuse and rejection.

Q. How does the team work?

A. The health team is a truly multi-disciplinary team. Our core focus is counselling and psychotherapy, but there is also an important emphasis on health: physical and emotional.

Q. What do you offer young people with mental health problems?

A. We traditionally use cognitive behavioural psychotherapy and analytical therapies but also methods like drama workshops. We help them find the strength to fight their feelings of pain and rejection.

Q. What do you aim to achieve?

A. We work to encourage healthy, independent living. But often once someone’s formed a bond with a therapist, it’s that person they continue to trust for a long time after they’ve moved away.

Q. Why is your work so important?

A. Homeless 16-25 year olds are extremely vulnerable to social pressure and low self-respect, and this is a client group that hasn’t been recognised before. Sadly, there are very few other places for them to turn.

Q. If this team didn’t exist, what options would they have?

A. These are extremely damaged young people. If they’re left alone to live with depression so many would stumble down the paths of drugs, crime and prostitution. We may be the only option.