Riverside Counselling Service

2023 & 2024 grant recipient

Project funded by the Powerhouse Grant- Grant medium and completing February 2025

 We have used the funding to support the provision of therapeutic services in the Didcot Powerhouse fund area. Riverside Counselling Service (RCS) provides affordable and accessible 1:1 counselling and therapeutic groups for adults and young people (12+) as well as  a ‘drop in’  service that offers people a brief counselling service that allows them to explore whether they would benefit from ongoing support. We offer short, medium and long term 1:1 counselling. RCS has been providing mental wellbeing support across South Oxfordshire for 35 years and we are accredited by the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy.  

Impact achieved so far:

Riverside Counselling Service (RCS) has supported 50 clients to improve their mental wellbeing. Our service provision includes 1:1 support through our brief intervention ‘drop in’ provision; our longer term 1:1 counselling service and our therapeutic group.

Our ‘drop in’ receives a high level of referrals from GPs and offers clients a chance to ‘dip their toe in the water’ of receiving emotional support from a trained counsellor. Our therapeutic group is run by a skilled facilitator and allows people to come together with members of the local community and share their concerns. Many of those accessing our drop in and our group have gone on to access the longer-term 1:1 support we offer.

Clients come to RCS seeking change when struggling with a range of issues including: relationships, anxiety, depression, amongst others. Through dedicated therapeutic work we have supported them to feel better able to cope with life’s challenges.