The impact of counselling on 10-year old Fred

Fred, who is 10 years old, has significant trauma from the domestic abuse he experienced from his dad towards his mum. When starting with Rising Sun’s CYP counselling service, Fred was non-verbal and very reluctant to engage.

In the first session, Fred did not speak, however as the sessions progressed, he started to use his voice more. His counsellor worked with him in a child-led way, offering a gentle, welcoming environment to help him feel safe. She went at his pace, and did not force him to engage in verbal discussions or activities that he didn’t want to. He was able to ask questions, or ask to play a certain game if he chose.

By remaining child-led, his counsellor offered a contained, safe environment that allowed Fred to feel comfortable enough to talk. His confidence in the sessions flourished and he was able to direct the sessions. He felt able to be himself around his counsellor, making jokes and being cheeky.

Fred wanted help to manage panic attacks he was experiencing so his counsellor worked with him to explore why he was having them. Fred learned grounding strategies that helped him to manage panic attacks. In particular, Fred responded well to a grounding technique that uses all 5 senses, to slow breathing and heart rate and bring him back into the present. He has since put this strategy into place, and his panic attacks have stopped. Fred’s counsellor shared some useful resources with his mum too, allowing her to continue to support Fred in the future.

As a result of his support from Rising Sun’s counselling service, Fred is now more secure in himself and far more confident. He is able to engage more with others, making positive new relationships, and his anxiety has significantly improved following the support.