The Student Room Group

Free online counselling?

Hi, at the moment I am having some problems with a relationship - and they are not of mine or my partners making. Some of these problems involve confidential information which I would not feel happy posting on here, and may only be relevant to a trained psychologist.

I was wondering if there was anywhere online that offered free confidential counselling by IM or email or website interface or something, where the counsellors have had at least some basic training in handling issues.

Thanks for any help you can give me. (I also discounted using the samaritans as I was under the impression that they mostly dealt with suicidal people - and it is not that type of issue. However it is still not a simple relationship based issue.)
Well :tsr2: is pretty confidential if you're Anonymous, plus you get free advice from everyone :p: xxx
I don't know if you would be able to get anything like that on the internet, most counsellors prefer to work face-to-face. Maybe you could go to your local doctors, explain that you are having a few problems and see if he/she can refer you to the resident counsellor for a few sessions?
Reply 3
Connexions have an online advisor. There's another one, but I really can't remember it

EDIT: I had a good thinking and I remembered
Reply 4
Its difficult, i would almost feel like a time waster. I am also acting partly out of concern for someone else, (no legal/suicide possibilities though) and its not directly me that needs help - although I am very much part of the situation. I guess I need advice, but due to some of the details (not sexual, but confidential), I can't go into it here.
Thanks.
Reply 5
I don't want to pressurise you but you really are better off posting on here or a similar site.

Like you, when I sought help from the Samaritans through their confidential email service I was basically fobbed off once they figured out I wasn't suicidal.

Plus, even if you do meet with a counsellor face-to-face (or over the phone, or online), as I have done in the past too, they aren't permitted to give advice as that isn't their role. You would need a psychologist for that and their service doesn't come for free.

Very few people that access sites like TSR are professionals in any way, and you might not always agree with or like what they say, but I have to say, it's the only honest advice you'll get for free.

Hope you find a solution that suits you.
Reply 6
I think i'll try the there4me thing or maybe the connexions thing - thanks a lot for the help. And I don't want to take their attention away from suicidal people, do I won't tie up the smaritans (I havent tried them)
Thanks
Reply 7
Samaritans are there for people who need to talk. They are more about listening though and not offering an advice. They can help you to think about your problems and empower you to find a solution but are not realy supposed to tell you what to do.
Reply 8
www.there4me.org

It's the one we refer people to at work :smile: