For Children

For Children

It can be a really upsetting and scary time if you are going through a difficult time or struggling with everyday life. We can help you understand that you're not alone and will offer you the support you deserve if we are the right service for you. It is important to remember that everyone’s mental health is different. Here are 10 top tips you could try:

Wellbeing

Sleep

Poor sleep can negatively affect your mental health. Try to have a good bedtime routine to ensure a full night’s sleep. An average of 7-9 hours is ideal. Try to go to bed at the same time, get your environment ready i.e. light, temperature and noise levels to prevent distraction. There are lots of sleep meditation apps available for free that could help you to get to sleep.
Wellbeing

Healthy Options

What we eat and drink can affect how we feel, think and behave. Having a balanced nutritious diet, eating regularly and drinking lots of water is important and it can improve your sense of wellbeing and your mood.
Wellbeing

Relaxing

Making time to relax daily helps us to have a calmer and clearer mind which aids positive thinking, concentration, memory and decision making. Find a way of relaxing that works for you, such as going for a walk, taking a bath, colouring or listening to some calming music.
Wellbeing

Connect With Family & Friends

Try to connect with family and friends, connection with others is a good source of positivity for emotional wellbeing. Having friends to talk to and have a laugh with can help you feel less alone and able to deal with problems that life throws at you.
Wellbeing

Learn New Things

Learning new things is good for your mind and body. It can help your wellbeing by raising your confidence and self-esteem, meeting and connecting with new people and giving you a sense of purpose and achievement.
Wellbeing

Helping Others

Helping others can benefit our own mental health too, it can improve our mood, self esteem and happiness through having positive connections.
Wellbeing

Exercise

Physical activity can boost our mental wellbeing by increasing self esteem, reducing stress and anxieties and it can also help you to sleep better.
Wellbeing

Challenge Your Thoughts

We often find it easier to let negative thoughts take over and are hard on ourselves. Practicing being kind to yourself and evaluating your negative thoughts which cause anxiety can help you realise that you are thinking about the worst outcome in these cases and not about the positive.
Wellbeing

Ask For Help Or Talk About It

Talking to someone or asking for help is a strong thing to do, you are taking control of your life and it’s the first step to feeling better. If you are worrying more than usual or feeling low and enjoying things less, then seeking help is important to get you back on track.
Wellbeing

Have Fun & Laugh

Having fun and laughing can help us to feel better physically and mentally. Being with friends, participating in fun activities or even watching something funny can really benefit our mood.

Lots of things can affect your mental health, such as:

  • Pressure with School
  • Conflicts with parents or carers
  • Job or money pressures
  • Peer pressure/trying to fit in
  • Balancing expectations of self, peers, parents and family
  • Bullying, at school, home or online/social media
  • Self image and body issues

Mental health challenges that can affect you, may include:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Eating Disorders
  • Schizophrenia
  • Substance Use
  • Self-Harm
  • Low Mood
  • Panic
  • OCD

It is possible that you could experience more than one of these problems. It is important to remember that everyone’s experiences are different, even if they have the same diagnosis.

Mental and emotional health is a part of everybody’s life. People know that going to a gym and staying physically fit and well is important. We want to work with you to be your personal trainer to help you to develop strong and flexible mental wellbeing. It is not about being happy all the time, it is about being able to weather the storm when things get tough as they do sometimes in life. Just like a personal trainer at the gym helps you learn how to exercise and stay healthy for the future. We want to help you to learn to look after your mental wellbeing for the future and to be able to help others too.

We also work with parents and teachers to give advice and help. We share one goal which is to help young people develop, grow and maintain positive levels of wellness and wellbeing.

We can help children and young people aged from 6 upwards. Once you are 16 you can access the NHS funded service, prior to that we run a donation service where you can access our service directly. You have taken a huge step getting to this point. The next step is to contact us and make a referral.

See how we can help in Schools.

Under 16

If you are under 16...

Have an adult that is responsible for your care provide consent and help you to refer.

Over 16

If you are over 16...

Self Refer with the online form found at the base of every page on our website or call: 0800 047 6861.

You will need your parent/guardian's permission to access therapy if you are under 16. This service is a donation service.
Each session will be charged at £60.00, and this will be charged for your initial session, and for each session thereafter. DRCS will aim to support all who come to us for help and may be able to offer reduced rates if you’re receiving benefits. Please contact the office to find out more.
We believe no problem is too small, nobody should feel like they can’t ask for help.
If how you’re feeling is affecting your daily life in a negative way, then therapy might be the answer.
Talking therapy is a great way to get to grips with how you feel: just click Get Help, give us a call and we can help you decide what’s best.
You can ask your therapist anything in complete confidentiality: they won’t judge or criticise. Depending on the type of therapy, they’ll ask about your history, your daily interactions and thoughts and feelings, as well as about any medication you’re on, and about any physical illness you may have.
Approach treatment with an open mind, trust your therapist and try to practise coping methods at home. But don’t be afraid to tell us if you feel something’s not quite right.
Your first session will provide an opportunity for you to get to know your counsellor and to figure out how many sessions you will require. It will also give you the opportunity to ask any questions.
It depends on the type of treatment you are having; check out the info on the therapies page for a guide.
Should you feel that your therapist or type of therapy is not right for you at this time, if possible, please discuss this in the first instance with your current therapist. If you do not feel able to do this, please contact the service on 0300 123 0542 and tell them that you would like to talk to someone about changing therapist. Our administration team will arrange for a member of our team to discuss other individualised treatment options with you.
You will be offered an assessment during which you will be asked questions and your assessor will determine which course of treatment will be most suitable for you.

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Derwent Rural Counselling Service, Serenity House, New Beetwell Street, Chesterfield, S40 1QR, United Kingdom, Company Reg No. 06081874, Charity No 1124775, Copyright © Derwent Rural Counselling Service 2024.

Please see more about our charity details here: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/4040212

DRCS has held BACP Organisational Accreditation since 2003 and abides by the BACP Ethical Framework. In addition all therapists hold their own professional membership and accreditation or are working towards this.