Most of us have times in our lives when we feel unable to cope and need help. Palace Gate Counselling Service (PGCS) may be able to help if you are going through such a time.

Difficulties from the past, painful experiences in the present or worries about the future may leave you unable to enjoy life or to achieve your aims and potential.

You do not need to be desperate to benefit from counselling.

Counselling provides an opportunity for you to explore your difficulties and problems in a safe environment with the support of a trained counsellor. You will be able to share your thoughts and feelings in a way that can bring new understanding, both of the problems and of yourself.

You will be with a trained counsellor working within professional codes of practice and who meets regularly with a supervisor.

Just telephone us (you do not need to be referred by anyone else). An initial appointment will be made for you as soon as possible (sometimes it can happen then and there). This Initial Appointment will take the form of an extended telephone conversation (usually lasting 20-30mins) At this first appointment we can explore with you whether PGCS is the best place for you to get help. This appointment is free and there is no commitment. If you decide you want to go ahead then a counsellor will be allocated to you and counselling sessions can start.

Everyone you meet will be friendly and supportive. Every counsellor has also experienced counselling themselves—they know what it feels like. You will soon find it possible to build up the trust and security necessary.

PGCS grew out of the work of the former Palace Gate Project in Exeter which formed the ‘Palace Gate Counselling Service’ in 1994. The project was founded by members of the Churches in Exeter, who find their motivation and commitment within the Christian faith. The spiritual dimension is an essential motivation for all counsellors who work in the service. It is not however a ’Christian’ Counselling service, but a general purpose service offered to all in need, without condition or discrimination of race, faith, class, culture, gender, marital status, physical disability, sexual orientation, or financial means.

The service which will be provided for you has to be paid for and so you will be asked to make a contribution according to your means, but no-one will be treated differently, because of what they pay.

There is no charge for initial appointments.

The Initial Appointment (which is by phone) is NOT a counselling session! During this appointment you will have a conversation with one of our senior counsellors, this usually lasts 20-30 minutes.

Its purpose is to a) ensure that PGCS is an appropriate place for you to come for counselling, b) get an outline of some of the issues which have brought you to make contact with us, c) establish your availability for counselling, d) agree how much you will pay for each session and e) decide how much counselling you will be offered as a start.

After the Initial Appointment— where appropriate you will be allocated a counsellor. You will then work with the same counsellor at each session (usually each week at the same time), for an hour a week.

We have a large team of counsellors working with us at PGCS. We do our best to match an appropriate counsellor to you, so it is sometimes necessary to wait a little while for certain counsellors to become free. However, your availability is usually the most significant factor in how long you have to wait.

At PGCS we work with clients in both a 'fixed term' and 'open ended' way. Which of these two you are initially offered will be decided at the initial conversation.

'Fixed term' counselling can be helpful for dealing with a variety of issues in a focussed way, but sometimes much longer term work is necesary. For us fixed term is usually up to 10 weeks, although may be less in some instances (there is a easy process to switch from fixed term to open ended where it becomes clear that this would be most appropriate)

'Open ended' simply means that we have not put a planned stop date on the work but keep it under review as the work progresses. Where appropriate an 'open ended' contract can last for a significant period of time to allow space to deal with deep issues.

When can you come for counselling? Once counselling starts you will be seen by the same counsellor; this is usually at the same time each week. Should this not be possible for some exceptional reason, please talk about it at the Initial Appointment. We cannot guarantee to be able to help, but we will try. Please think carefully about when you can come for counselling. The more flexible you can be the more quickly you are likely to be able to start counselling.

Childcare arrangements also need to be planned as it is not possible to have counselling with children present. This is important for on-line appointments too.

Face to Face are in our Exeter Centre. Most of our appointments are during the working day, but we also have evening appointments.

If you have a question about the Counselling Service that hasn't been answered here or elsewhere on this site, do phone us on 01392 205804, and remember to leave a message and we'll get right back to you.