We are a charity which provides free and confidential information and support to young people. On average we support over 5500 different young people each year through our different projects; since we were founded in 1990 we estimate that we have supported over 130,000 young people.
Our drop in service, available 6 days a week, supported by a dedicated team of volunteers, offers young people emotional support and information around housing, sexual health and mental health and the options available to them. We can also offer information about, and make referrals to, specialist services, both within The Zone and elsewhere.
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Services Offered
Our specialist services include our two mental health teams; Icebreak, an early intervention service for young people who are experiencing severe emotional distress and Insight, an early intervention service for young people who are experiencing early psychosis.
Icebreak
Icebreak is committed to supporting and working with 16-22 year olds who have been experiencing severe emotional distress for a long time (sometimes called personality disorder), and are eligible for a GP in Plymouth.
You may be having difficulties: - Managing your emotions / feelings - Making or maintaining relationships - With self harm or suicidal thoughts - With day to day living e.g. looking after yourself
Insight
The Insight team works with people aged 18+ who live within Plymouth, who appear to be experiencing symptoms indicating the early onset of psychosis.
People who may be experiencing psychosis can experience the following: - Hallucinations: Hearing or seeing things that other people don't. - Strong changes in mood: experiencing rapid changes in mood, including feeling very depressed or fluctuating between extreme high or low emotional states. - Paranoia: Extreme anxiety, fear or suspicion - Delusions: Holding very unusual beliefs about something implausible, bizarre or obviously untrue. - Confusion of thought: Disorganised, confused and disrupted patterns of thoughts and speech. - A lack of insight and self awareness: Unaware that their behaviour is in any way strange or unusual.
If you or somebody you know is experiencing any of the things mentioned above it is important to speak to someone you trust, such as a teacher at school, parents, or your GP, as soon as you can so that you can begin getting help.
Fees and Payment
This is a registered charity
Services provided are free of charge
Services Offered To: Adults Couples Teens
Special Groups: LGBTQ
Payment: Sliding Scale Pro-bono
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.