Masithethe Counselling Services was established on the 15 March 1985 as LifeLine East London. We have spent the past 33 years interfacing with distressed and traumatized adults and children, providing emotional support whilst facilitating the development of and further adaptation of the individuals resilience skills.
The name Masithethe when translated from isi-Xhosa means "let's talk". Through individuals and community's engaging, talking and listening we not only build resilience but also mobilize society for change. We believe in a person's capacity for positive psychological change when supported through struggles with highly challenging life circumstances.
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Services Offered
Our organisation's name clearly reflects our core service, namely counselling. We provide free counselling services that range from short term, crisis care and trauma support to mid and long term counselling interventions to persons of all ages.
Our counselling services are provided by a team consisting of trained lay counsellors/trauma support workers and Social Workers.
Fees and Payment
This is a registered non-profit organisation
Counselling services provided free of charge
Services Offered To: Adults Teens Children
Special Groups: Bilingual
Payment: Pro-bono
Online Counseling: Yes
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Do you know the reason they are not accepting clients?
A community counseling agency is a group therapy practice that offers affordable mental health services. Most are independent non-profit agencies, state agencies, or publicly-funded agencies. A few may restrict who is eligible for services, so it is a good idea to check when you call.
Community counseling agencies are generally more affordable than other therapy providers, but how much more affordable they are will depend on whether you qualify for a discount or sliding scale fee (or if they accept your insurance). Many, but not all, have a policy that they won't turn away anyone due to inability to pay. You should ask about their fees when you first call.
Expect to talk to kind people who want to help you find the care you need. Most community agencies strive to connect you with a live person within 24 hours, if not immediately. If you're asked to hold or leave a message, don't give up; just leave a message and wait. You should hear back pretty quickly.
Most agencies try to set up an initial assessment appointment within a week (some do within 24 hours), though the waitlist to start therapy is usually longer—about a few weeks on average. If you're not eligible or if the agency is not right for you, it's usually still worth it to call or drop in, because staff are knowledgeable about local options and can often refer you to one.