Who is the Group therapy service for?

We offer both individual counselling and group therapy from our base in Holborn, London WC1. The group therapy is for adult men (18 and over) who have experienced sexual violation at any time in their lives and we also offer individual counselling to partners (male and female).  The current group model is a 12 week therapy group open only to male clients who have experienced sexual violation. (link to group page)

Although we are a London based service, our clients come from across Greater London, Surrey, Essex and sometimes further afield.  As long as you’re able to get to us we can support you.

I’m not sure if I’ve been sexually assaulted or raped, can you still help me?

Many men who contact our service feel confused about what has happened to them and they don’t always have the language to describe their experience.  This confusion is not uncommon and we’re here to help you try to understand this.  If you think something has happened and you want help with this, calling the helpline can be a useful starting point.  Alternatively get in contact with us to organise an initial consultation.

How can I make contact to refer?

We only take self referrals for counselling or group therapy.  You can make a self referral by calling our helpline, our office line 02074046234 during office hours, or in “contact us” at the bottom of our website.  If you are a professional contacting us regarding a potential client we’re happy to support you in this, but your client would still need to make their own contact to self refer.

What happens initially?

Once we have your referral and contact details we will contact you within 2 weeks to organise an initial consultation.  The purpose of this meeting is to have the opportunity to think about whether individual counselling or group therapy at SurvivorsUK is the most helpful support for you at the time you refer.  Typically clients who are accepted into group therapy have had some experience of individual counselling prior to this.
If we’re not the right service for you, this is something we’ll discuss with you and support you in finding a suitable alternative service that can help. 

How soon can I start group therapy?

Once you’ve had your initial consultation and we’ve agreed we’re the right service for you, the Clinical Services Manager will be in touch with you to confirm that you’re on our waiting list and to let you know when the next group will be starting.   
We aim to allocate individual clients within six weeks of their initial consultation, but waiting times for group therapy can be slightly longer as the current 12 week group runs several times per year. 

Who facilitates the group therapy?

Our counsellors come from a variety of different training backgrounds, are fully qualified and adhere to BACP guidelines.   All of our counsellors are experienced in supporting men who have experienced sexual violation and they continue to have ongoing professional development training whilst they work with us.  The group therapy is facilitated by 2 counsellors, typically one male and one female.

What happens in group therapy?

Many men have not met another man who has had an abusive sexual experience and may feel isolated.  Sharing experiences with your peers in group therapy can be both supportive and rewarding.  We currently have a 12 week group therapy model which has been successfully running for a number of years.  This group runs several times per year depending on the demand for the service.

The group therapy sessions have 6-10 group members and meet weekly for 2 hours with 2 trained group facilitators/counsellors.  Each group may have clients who have had a sexually abusive experience either in childhood or as adults.  There are a range of themes which are covered during the course of the twelve weeks including: feelings and impact on the family; relationships; anger; shame and sexuality.  Each group allows members time to focus on a particular theme as well as space to raise any issues that are on their mind. 

We’re interested in helping you understand how your experiences have impacted in all areas of your life such as your day to day living, your relationships and your work.  We know that many men have a wide range of difficulties associated with their experience of sexual violation which may include: depression, anxiety, difficulties in relationships and low self esteem.  Group therapy can be a particularly helpful approach as it can be an opportunity to explore how people interact to one another in the group and how this may relate to experiences with others in the outside world. 

Group therapy can be helpful after a period of individual counselling and typically clients who are currently receiving individual counselling at SurvivorsUK do not engage in the group at the same time. 

When and where does the group therapy take place?

Currently the group takes places on a Monday evening at our base in Holborn.  We have also run daytime groups in the past depending on the demand for the service. 

Can I arrive early for my appointment?

We do have a small waiting area, but we ask that clients don’t arrive more than 10 minutes before the group.

How long does group therapy last?

The current group therapy model is for 12 weeks, takes place on a Monday evening and each group lasting for 2 hours. 

How much does group therapy cost?

We have a sliding scale of fees and charge clients according to their income, starting from the initial consultation onwards.  Our current fees range from £5 - £25 per group.  We review these each year and will let you know in advance if this is going to change. 

Once clients have started group therapy we do charge for missed sessions with less than 24 hours notice.  Once you have started group therapy, it is expected that you will make a commitment to attend regularly. We are not able to keep a space in the group open if you do not attend three sessions in a row (aside from illness or planned holiday). Only in exceptional circumstances will we keep a counselling/group therapy space open for clients who are not able to attend regularly.

Is the group therapy confidential?

We keep all information confidential within our organisation and adhere to BACP guidelines.  No details will be given to a third party (such as a doctor or anybody else) without your permission except in exceptional circumstances such as a disclosure about a serious crime or a child protection concern.  If it were necessary to breach your confidentiality we would discuss this with you and support you through the process. 
We also ask that group members respect and keep the confidentiality of their peers in the group.

Do you keep notes?

We keep notes secure at all times.  These notes remain confidential and we comply with the Data Protection Act. Should you want to have access to your notes, you can do this by contacting our Clinical Services Manager in writing. 

We also keep statistical information and ask that clients take part in CORE (Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation).  This is an evaluation tool that we use to support our work and is vital to the ongoing improvement of the service we provide.

Do you support partners and carers?

We provide one day workshops for partners, carers, friends and family members.  We don't currently provide family therapy or couples therapy.

Do you work with men who’ve sexually violated others?

We do not work with men who have sexually violated others.  If this is something that is disclosed in the initial consultation we will support you in finding an alternative service that can best support you both with this issue and your own experience of sexual violation.  If this is something that is disclosed during counselling/group therapy we will support you in working towards an ending and finding an appropriate alternative service.

I don’t live in London, are there any other groups or services you can recommend?

If you’re able to travel to central London, regardless of where you live we can support you in our own group. You could also look on NAPAC or The Survivors Trust which will give you details about other specialist counselling services and groups in your local area.