Life Line Pietermaritzburg has been helping the community since 1972. It has evolved from a telephone service run solely by volunteers to a multi-faceted organisation active in many communities in Pietermartizburg and the surrounding communities.
LifeLine Pietermaritzburg has expanded and in 2009 opened a satellite office in Newcastle which offers similar services as the head office.
Services Offered
E-mail Counselling
Sometimes we could do with some outside support. No matter how kind and concerned our nearest and dearest might be - or, as is often the case, might not be - to have the input of a trained counsellor can be very helpful.
Pioneered by LifeLine Pietermaritzburg, e-mail counselling is available to anyone who wishes to use the service.
Telephone Counselling
If you need to speak to someone about the things that worry or scare you, or about any problems that you might be having, you can telephone a LifeLine counsellor.
The share-call LifeLine number is 0861-322-322
Some regional centres also offer telephone counselling.
Face-to-Face Counselling
Some LifeLine centres also offer free face-to-face counselling, but you must make an appointment first to be sure that there is a counsellor available when you go to the branch.
Fees and Payment
Life Line's objective is to provide services to all - whether they can pay or not.
Services Offered To: Adults Couples Teens Children
Special Groups: Bilingual
Payment: Pro-bono
Online Counseling: Yes
If You Call, Please Let Us Know How it Went:
Were You Able to Make an Appointment?
One quick last question. Who was seeking counseling today?
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.
