Talking Zone

TalkingZone

TalkingZone (TZ) is a free and private online counselling service for young people aged between 11-17 years.

The online service is a safe and private place where you can talk to a counsellor or find help about some of the things that are worrying you.

How can we help?

On this site you can access free online counselling when the counsellor is available via live text or video. Counsellors are currently available on Wednesdays and Thursdays between 5pm-8pm.

If our counsellors are offline or in session, you can request a session by completing this referral form. The counsellor will then contact you within 3 working days to arrange an appointment with you or to tell you how long you have to wait for an appointment.

You can also find links to self-help sheets, videos and links to other useful websites. These are available 24hrs a day, 7 days a week.

Please note that TalkingZone is not an emergency service. If you need urgent help, please call emergency services on 999. Alternatively, you could call Childline on 0800 1111 or Samaritans on 116 123.

   What is counselling?

We all have times when it feels hard to talk to those closest to us about things which are bothering us. Often this can be because we don't want to worry them or we are afraid of what they might say. The counsellor will listen to you carefully, not judging you, but look to help you understand what might be bothering you and help you to find a solution or a way to cope with the troubles you are having.

   What can counselling offer?

A space to talk or think about worries or difficulties.

Help you to look at how you might want things to be different, by talking and using a range of activities.

Looking at your strengths and finding new strengths to help you deal with problems in a positive way.

Guidance to support you to find the right help to deal with those problems that the counsellor can't help you with.

Counsellors take a long time to train for their job and should treat you in a caring, warm manner and will try to be as understanding and helpful to you as they can.

Counsellors are checked by the Government Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to make sure they are safe to work with young people.

   What type of problems can I talk about in counselling?

There are many types of problems you can talk about in counselling. The list below includes just a few of the things you can talk about although there are many others:

Family difficulties

Relationships with friends

Losing someone you care about

Bullying

Lack of confidence

Anger

Behaviour issues

Physically hurting yourself

Feeling worried a lot of the time

Low mood (often feeling unhappy)

   How private and confidential is counselling?

Everything you say in counselling is private between you and your counsellor unless we believe there is a serious risk of harm to you or to others.
What is serious risk of harm?

If anyone is intending to seriously harm you, emotionally, physically or sexually.

It's also when you are not being looked after properly (e.g. regularly not being fed enough food or taken to a doctor when you are very ill).

If you are seriously intending to or actually are harming yourself.

If you are seriously intending to or actually are harming others.

If you tell us that someone else is being harmed or at serious risk of harm.

What happens if we need to share this information?

Wherever we can we will talk to you before any information is shared.

Sometimes the counsellor will share the information about you and your IP address with social services, the police or ambulance service so that they can help you.

At other times the counsellor may just talk to their supervisor or manager before doing anything else.

   Who can use this service?

The Live Chat or Live Video Chat can be used by young people who:

are between 11 - 17 years of age only.

live in the Newport (South Wales) area.

identify as the same person each time they use our service.