Release Counselling & Therapy for Women CIO

Release Counselling and Therapy for Women is a community counselling project, set up in January 2013, to provide affordable counselling for women in Brighton & Hove, experiencing any mental health distress. We are a Registered Charity No. 1192772.

Release offers one-to-one counselling and a range of therapeutic groups to women in Brighton and the surrounding areas, providing opportunity to change how they feel and to live better.

Release is open to all women regardless of age, gender, race, nationality, faith,
sexual orientation or disability.

We have a limited amount of individual counselling available, subject to funding. These are some of the common problems we work with:
-relationship difficulties- with partners, children, parents, family, friends
-anxiety
-stress
-worry
-low self-esteem
-depression
-loss or bereavement
-spirituality or faith issues
-trauma

Release Therapeutic Groups:

1. Mummyshock (a postnatal group for new mums)

Mummyshock is a 10-week therapeutic group for new mums and their babies. It provides a supportive space to talk, as women begin their journeys as new mums.

2. Hold me Tight- Relationship Course

This 7- week group is written by Dr Sue Johnson, the pioneer of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), for couples who want to take time out to strengthen their relationship and gain insight and help in strengthening their communication, intimacy and connection.

3. Into the Light- sexual abuse support group

This 10-week course focuses on different aspects of the impact of sexual abuse on adult life. The group is topic based and information giving, but with plenty of time for sharing experiences. Topics covered include:

– Impacts on self image and relationships

– Ways out of negative cycles of behaviour

– Ideas for moving forward to gain better relationships
and new hope for the future.

This group is run in partnership with Into the Light. Into the Light is a London based not-for-profit project founded in 1993 for people who have experienced sexual abuse and those that support them.

Session details

Our groups take place in a variety of locations within Brighton & Hove. The groups last between 7 - 10 weeks, and run weekly, at the same time each week.

Our individual counselling currently takes place on Zoom. We offer weekly sessions lasting 50 minutes, which will continue for an agreed period of time. We offer a maximum of 18 sessions.