About Bereavement Care

What happens when you contact us?

Your first contact would be via the helpline number when a sympathetic volunteer will take you initial details and arrange for a counsellor to contact you and make an appointment to meet. As we are a voluntary organisation it is not always possible to be available during office hours but a message can be left on the telephone helpline at any time and we will return the call as soon as possible. It will sometimes be possible to call the helpline up to 9p.m. when a volunteer will usually be available to speak to you directly.

Each counselling appointment will be no longer than one hour. Initially, sessions may be once a week, although the frequency and number of visits varies from person to person. Counselling is not for ever, like grief, it comes to an end.

Counselling sessions are confidential to client and counsellor. The counsellors adhere to the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (B.A.C.P.) Code of Ethics and Practice and the exact nature of the confidentiality that you and the counsellor will share will be explained at your first meeting.

What if a child is involved?

We are also able to offer bereavement counselling to children under the age of 16. As a responsible organisation, Bereavement Care has a child protection policy in place.

Bereavement Care support group

This small group meets on the first Thursday of each month at the Methodist church hall in Northallerton High Street. It is an opportunity for those who have been bereaved in the last few years to meet for a cup of tea and mutual support. Please ring our helpline for further information.

Do you charge for the counselling?
Counselling is free; we make no charge for our services. As we are a voluntary organisation, we rely on donations and our own fundraising efforts.