Child & Teen Counselling
in Hampshire
Warm, effective support to help your child feel calmer, happier and more confident, in person across Hampshire or online.
Counselling, hypnotherapy & CBT in Fareham, Hampshire, and online
Counselling for children and teenagers
Warm, practical support for anxiety, school worries, low mood and the things young people find hard to put into words. In person in Fareham or online across the UK.
Fareham, Hampshire, plus online therapy UK wide
Free · No obligation · Speak to us before your child comes in
Free help while you wait for an appointment
- ChildlineFree for under 19s, any time: 0800 1111
- YoungMinds Parents HelplineFor worried parents: 0808 802 5544
- ShoutFree 24/7 text support: text SHOUT to 85258
- In an emergencyCall 999, or 111 for urgent mental health advice
You know your child best
When your child is struggling
Watching your child battle anxiety, low mood or difficulty at school is worrying, and it can leave you feeling useless. Most parents who contact us have already tried everything they can think of, and many have been waiting a long time for NHS support that has not arrived yet.
You do not have to work out what kind of therapy your child needs. That is our job. Tell us what has been happening and we will suggest the approach and the therapist we think would suit them, and say honestly if we think something else would help more.
OLIP Therapy has supported children and families for over twenty years, and several of our therapists work specifically with young people.
What we help with
The things young people bring to us
Every child is different and we shape the work around them. These come up most often.
- Anxiety and worry
- School anxiety or refusal
- Exam nerves
- Low self-esteem
- Low mood
- Bullying
- Anger and big emotions
- Shyness and friendships
- Sleep problems
- Bed-wetting
- Specific fears
- Grief and loss
- Separation or divorce at home
- Confidence in sport or performance
Not sure whether we can help? Call for a friendly, no-pressure chat on 0800 970 4776, or read more about anxiety therapy.
Counselling
A space that is theirs
Counselling gives a child or teenager a calm, confidential space to talk without worrying about upsetting anyone. For many young people, having somewhere that is not home and not school is the point.
- Room to say things they may not want to say to you, which is normal and healthy
- Words for feelings that have been coming out as anger, tears or silence
- Practical coping tools for worry, panic and pressure
- A kinder view of themselves, which is often the slowest and most important part
With younger children, the work often happens through play, drawing and activity rather than sitting and talking.
Hypnotherapy and CBT
Gentle, and often quite fun
Children tend to take to hypnotherapy well, because it uses imagination and relaxation, which they are already good at. It usually feels to them like a guided daydream rather than anything clinical.
- Relaxation they can use themselves, at bedtime or before an exam
- Help with specific worries such as fears, sleep or bed-wetting
- Confidence building through positive imagery and rehearsal
- CBT tools for older children who prefer something practical and structured
Nobody is put into a trance against their will, and your child stays fully awake, aware and in control throughout.
How we work with families
Where you fit in, and how confidentiality works
Parents are part of this. We speak to you first, we keep you informed, and we will talk with you about what would help at home. Where it is useful, and with your agreement, we can also liaise with your child's school.
At the same time your child needs a space that feels genuinely theirs, or they will not use it. So the detail of what they say stays between them and their therapist, and what we share with you is shaped around their age and understanding. Younger children involve you far more closely. Older teenagers are given more privacy, which is what makes therapy work at that age.
The exception is safety. If we ever had a serious concern that your child, or another child, was at risk, we would act on it. That means sharing information with you and, where necessary, with the appropriate services. Your child's therapist will explain this to them at the start in words they understand, so nothing comes as a surprise.
For a diagnosis of something like ADHD or autism, your GP or school is the route to an assessment. Our support works alongside that rather than replacing it.
No surprises
What happens when you get in touch
- 1
You call or message us
Not your child. This first step is entirely yours, and a couple of lines about what has been happening is plenty.
- 2
A free 15 minute call
A friendly, confidential chat with an experienced therapist about your child and what would help. No cost, no obligation, and your child does not need to be there.
- 3
Meeting the right therapist
We match your child with a therapist who works with their age group, in person in Fareham or online. The first session is about them getting comfortable, nothing more.
Sessions for children and young people from £90. See all fees
Your child does not have to want this yet
Plenty of young people arrive reluctant, arms folded, certain it will be pointless. That is a normal starting point and not a reason to wait. A good therapist expects it, and the first session is about nothing more than being in the room.
Good to know
Questions parents ask
What ages do you work with?
Children from around seven upwards, and teenagers. The approach changes a great deal with age, so on the free call we will match your child with a therapist who works with their age group. If they are younger than that, ring us anyway and we will point you in the right direction.
How involved will I be?
Closely. We speak to you before your child comes in, we keep you updated, and we will talk through what would help at home. With younger children you are involved throughout. With older teenagers we give more privacy, because that is what makes therapy work at that age, and we will be clear with you about how that will run.
Will my child's sessions be confidential from me?
The detail of what they say stays between them and their therapist, and what we share with you is shaped around their age and understanding. The exception is safety. If we ever had a serious concern that your child, or another child, was at risk, we would share that with you and where necessary with the appropriate services. Your child's therapist explains this to them at the start.
My child does not want to come. What do I do?
This is very common and it is not a dead end. Start with the free call yourself and we will talk through how to raise it with them. Some young people come once out of curiosity and then decide. Some parents have a session first and take ideas home. Nobody will be pushed into a room they do not want to be in.
Can you help with school anxiety or not wanting to go to school?
Yes, and it is one of the most common reasons families contact us. We look at what is actually behind the reluctance, which is rarely just the school itself, and build practical steps with you and your child. Where it helps, and with your agreement, we can liaise with the school too.
Do you help with ADHD or autism?
We can support the feelings that often come alongside them, such as anxiety, frustration, low self-esteem or difficulty at school. We do not diagnose, and we are not a substitute for a specialist assessment. Your GP or school is the route to that, and our support works alongside it.
How long will it take?
It varies. Focused work on something specific, such as exam nerves or a particular fear, can be short. Where a young person is carrying something bigger it takes longer. You will get an honest sense of it after the first session or two, and you are never tied into a block you have not chosen.
We are already waiting for CAMHS. Should we still come?
Many families do both, and waiting lists are often long. We can provide support in the meantime, and this does not affect your NHS referral. If we think your child needs something that requires a specialist NHS service, we will say so plainly rather than keeping you here.
Do you offer sessions online?
Yes. We offer sessions in person at our Fareham practice and online across the UK. Online suits many teenagers well and is easier to fit around school, though younger children usually do better in the room.
What if I am the one who needs support?
That is a legitimate reason to get in touch in its own right. Parenting a child who is struggling is exhausting and lonely, and support for you is not a lesser version of helping them. We work with adults too, and the YoungMinds Parents Helpline is a good free starting point.
Start with a conversation, just you
A free 15 minute call with an experienced therapist about what has been happening and what might help. Your child does not need to be there, and there is no cost and no obligation.