“We’re Reaching Out to the Community on a New Level”

The Counselling and Art Psychotherapy Service helping to heal the guests at Refettorio Felix

At the heart of Refettorio Felix is Nik Haines, the Head of Operations. With two decades working at the centre, Nik has witnessed the ebbs and flows of many people passing through and benefitting from the space. Always looking for ways to bring new energy into our projects and support services, when the opportunity came to launch the counselling service - he jumped at the chance.

The first crucial step was securing funding - ensuring that the counselling was delivered by therapists who are all members of Accredited Services. It was vital to all of the Refettorio Felix team that the service we were providing was going to be excellent quality, delivered by professionals. After securing funding, we were able to move forward with the project, exploring our options and putting building blocks down for development.

Both Nik and our Mental Health Coordinator Tina are trained Psycotherapists, each with over 20 years experience working in Mental Health and Homeless support. It was important for the team to embrace the knowledge that was already on the ground at Refettorio Felix, Nik shares - “We wanted to utilise our own teams’ skills who have a counselling background, as well as bring in the new counsellors.”

“Our inspiration for the new counselling and art psychotherapy service came from a need to deepen our work with clients, and provide a long term, therapeutic holding for them.”

The Green Rooms are the location for the counselling: our private, safe space for clients to take part in their sessions - offered totally free. During the sessions, the counsellors explore the feelings, thoughts and behaviours on an individual to develop a better understanding of oneself as well as others.

Listening without judgement and helping explore thoughts and emotions, the counsellors offer information, taking different forms depending on an individuals’ needs and what type of therapy may be suitable.

“Mental health issues have increased exponentially”, Nik says. “We have a strong need to deepen our work with clients and provide a long-term therapeutic holding for them.”

As a society, we’ve made strides in speaking more openly about our mental health. Within the centre, we see a direct positive effect of an individual opening up.

“There is still a stigma to discussing one’s mental health. Counselling and Psychotherapy can provide a safe and confidential space to explore one’s issues with deep holding from a professional therapist.”

“Long-term therapy enables the client and the therapist to have time to build a true therapeutic relationship with trust, congruence and heart at its centre”

For more information, please contact Nik at nik@stcuthbertscentre.org.uk.

If you offer a service that you think our clients could benefit from, please get in touch.

With thanks to the Peter Stebbings Memorial Charity