Welcome to Aspen Counselling Services Website

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Welcome to the Aspen Counselling Lucan Website

Aspen counselling centre Lucan

We provide counselling and psychotherapy for a range of issues including:

•Bereavement/loss

•Stress/anger management/anxiety

•Childhood issues and trauma

•Depression

•Self esteem/confidence/assertiveness

•Work related stress/bullying

•Emotional crisis/coping

•Relationship/marital issues

•Addiction

Check out our available Courses

Check out our Events page

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About Us

mission
note from Linda
what is counselling
who uses the service
A note from our Patron

mission

Counselling in the heart of Lucan Village

Aspen Counselling is a non profit counselling and psychotherapy practice which has been in the heart of Lucan since 2001? The team of 20 therapist work to provide a uniquely affordable counselling service in a safe and discrete environment.

Our mission

To eradicate the stigma surrounding our mental health and to promote a more positive attitude to counselling.

To provide a discrete and confidential counselling and psychotherapy services for all.

To provide a safe place where individuals, families and couples can engage in their therapeutic processes.

To be able to reach the wider community by providing an accessible and low cost counselling service.

note from Linda

A word from our director Linda Balfe

Since opening Aspen Counselling 11 years ago it has been my experience that one of the greatest roadblocks preventing people from continuing with their process/journey is counselling fees. With 50 thousand people living in Lucan I recognised the need for a low cost counselling service here and in the surrounding area.

I grew up in the Dublin 8 area where such services where widely available to everyone and wanted to provide the same for this area.

My goal is to reach as many people as possible through the work Aspen does and I dream of the day when treating mental health issues will an acceptable as treating physical health issues.

Linda

what is counselling

What is counselling and psychotherapy?

Counselling and psychotherapy allows a unique opportunity to have a deeper understanding of what is going on in your life. Counselling and psychotherapy can help to build confidence and personal development where you can explore and help bring about a new acceptance of experiences in your life which caused deep hurt or pain.

Who can avail of counselling?

Are there times when you felt no one understand or even listen to you?

Or that you have no one to turn to in case you upset them too.

Well here at aspen counselling we have a long history of helping individual, couples, families and children to find an understanding of their feeling, and providing them with the skills to deal with them.

Referral can be made by medical professionals such as your GP but if you prefer you can just call us yourself.

All calls and correspondence are confidential and without obligation on your part so if you have questions about our service call or email us. A therapist will talk you through the process and make an appointment for you should you wish one.

We recognise that the initial contact can be stressful so with this in mind we try to arrange a first appointment within a week.

Phone: 086-8534391

Email: aspenabc_gmail.com

who uses the service

Individuals

As we go through life we can experience many changes. Sometimes these changes can be very challenging which can prevent us from achieving things we want in our lives. Often past experiences may hold us back or prevent us from moving forward with a more positive outlook. Individual counselling offers a unique experience to make sense of our life experiences and help us to achieve more positive outcomes in the future.

Families

Families go through many changes which can often be stressful for the family members.

Aspen provides a supportive environment for family members to understand what is happening and focus on creating opportunities for more positive outcomes.

Teens

The pathways from childhood through the teenage years can often present challenges for teenagers and parents. Counselling can provide young people with opportunities to explore what is going on in their lives and help bring about positive change for the better.

Couples/relationships

Couples often experience situations in their lives where they need support to find more positive ways of being together as a couple. People invest in all sorts of things, cars, houses, holidays but when it comes to relationships we often dont truly invest in this very important part of our lives.

Couples therapy supports both partners in the relationship, to open up and examine the problems that are causing pain and find new ways of being together.Couples therapy can allow you to gain insight into the difficulties and move forward together with a new perspective and understanding.

A note from our Patron No Frame

Nick Munier is best known as the maitre d' of ITV's prime-time reality show Hell's Kitchen. He is also co-owner of Pichet restaurant in Dublin's Trinity Lane. In September 2011, Nick began in his role as presenter of Masterchef Ireland, alongside Dylan McGrath.

Nick has became patron for Aspen counselling Centre Lucan in 2011.

Counsellors

Linda Balfe (Director)

Linda has worked as a psychotherapist for over 12 years. She started in a voluntary organisation working in the Dublin 8 area. It was during this time that she saw the need for counselling to be accessible to all. Linda is an accredited therapist with I.A.C.P. She is also a clinical supervisor to other therapists, supporting them in their clincial practice. During the past 9 years in Aspen Counselling Services, she has worked extensively with couples and individual clients supporting them in their personal journeys.

Linda is based in the Lucan centre, contact: 01-6217063

Paula Richards

Paula Richards is an accredited Therapist with I.A.C.P and is also a certified reality therapist with the William Glasser Institute Ireland (WGII). She works in the area of general counselling but specialises in the areas of sexual abuse and eating disorders. Paula also has training in suicide prevention and intervention having studied Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) in order to help provide a suicide-safer community.

Paula is based in the Lucan centre: 01-6217063

Donations

Donate Now
Why Donate
Current Sponsors

Donate Now

To donate to Aspen Counselling Lucan please print the document linked fill it in and with your cheque/ moneyorders to

Aspen counselling16 Main street Lucan Co. Dublin

Or simply Lodge directly quoting "sponsorship scheme" to

Bank of Ireland

Account no: 80776094

Sort code : 90-12-04

Or Donate securely using Pay Pal

Thank you for your support

Aspen Counselling Lucan Client Sponsorship scheme new.doc

Donate

Why Donate

Aspen Counselling is a non profit organisation whose goal is to provide counselling for everyone who needs it.

We recognise that private counselling can be very expensive and therefore has become inaccessible for many people who are struggling financially. Due to the current economic situation this is the most rapidly growing group in society at present. This is also the group most vulnerable to stress and anxiety as they try to cope with the changes in their life. Aspen offers a full range of counselling from individual counselling to couples and counselling for the whole family for a variety for different issues.

To help us achieve our goal we have developed a sponsorship scheme where individuals, groups or companies can pay for sessions. Aspen will use this sponsorship to provide counselling for individuals who would otherwise be unable avail of them.

Should you decide to join the growing number of sponsors be assured your donation will be used for the purpose of providing counselling only and will not be used for administration. It is gratefully appreciated by both Aspen counselling and the person who benefits from it. Obviously Aspen cannot divulge how the recipient of your sponsorship is but rest assured that you will be providing a service which could improve or indeed change someone life.

Current Sponsors

Shamrock Rovers Football club have recently sponsered 20 counselling sessions. These sesssions will be used to help someone who would otherewise not be able to avail of counselling. Aspen thank Shamrock rovers for their support.

Pichet Restaurant 14/15 Trinity st Dublin 2

Church Restaurant Jervis st Dublin 1

Fresh and Fruity Lucan

SuperQuinn Lucan

Centra Griffeen Lucan

Penny Hill Off License

Foleys Chemist Ballyowen Lucan

The Jewellers Lucan Shopping centre

Sue from Nail and Beauty Lodge Lucan

Annes Design in hair Main st Lucan

Niamh Brady Time out for you Reflexology

Garry from Frame works Lucan

F.A.Q

Q How long will it take to get an appointment?

A Waiting times for an appointment should be no longer than one week, but may be sooner depending on availability.

Q What can I expect from my first session?

A At your first session you shall meet with your therapist who will assist you in looking at what is going on in your life right now. Both you and your therapist shall devise a way of working together that can enable you to begin to explore any difficulties in your life and the best way to overcome these.

Q What if Im not sure about the therapist?

A It may be important for you to ask your therapist their experience and qualifications. Therapists are open about this and understand that you might like to discuss this with them.

Q Is counselling confidential?

A It is important that you feel safe in the knowledge that your therapist will maintain and uphold confidentiality. Therapists act in the best i interest of clients and must uphold a duty of care. Where there may be serious concern regarding the safety of a client or person under the age of 18 years this will be discussed in order to support you in the best way possible.

Q How long should I attend my counselling?

A Both yourself and your therapist will work together to see how well things are progressing for you, but generally there is no time limit. Your therapist will support you in setting a time frame for ending your sessions when you feel ready to cease counselling.

Students

Aspen Counselling has provided a student placement programme for a number of years. The directors of Aspen have continued to support the placement programme as they believe that it is important to offer community based placements for students who wish to complete their clinical hours during training. As part of our commitment to supporting the local community we recognise the value of supporting students and aim to promote best practice for students whilst on their placement.

If you wish to apply for a position on our student placement programme please send a cover letter and C. V to your centre of preference.

Aspen Counselling Services,

Lucan Ltd

Address:

16 Main St.,

Lucan,

Co Dublin

Phone: 01 6217063

Email: aspenabc_gmail.com

Courses

Feldenkrais Workshop

A day of awareness through movement lessons - 9th April 2011 10.30am - 5pm

What is the Feldenkrais Method ?

Can you imagine yourself moving, working, playing, exercising or simply being in greater ease, comfort and pleasure?

It is available to you right now through a ground-breaking sessions and lessons called the Feldenkrais Method.

This workshop using a range of enjoyable and sophisticated movement lessons you will quickly be able to:

•Improve your freedom of movement

•Relieve stress

•Promote relaxation

•Reduce pain

•Restore easy, balanced posture

If you would like to participate please send an email with a brief outline of what you would like to get out of the workshop. This will help me to build the workshop around the participants.

Limited to 8 participants

Cost 70 Euro Deposit of 40 Euro (non refundable)

Contact: Mark Keogh on 0861659422 Email: markkeogh_hotmail.com

Japa Meditation Group

Every Monday Night - 8.30 - 10.00pm

All Welcome

What is Japa - Meditation

Japa Meditation helps sooth the mind and clears away the numerous impinging problems and worries that cloud it from time to time.

Meditation involves focusing the mind on a certain objective or thing or thought by shutting out the disturbing external stimuli. Meditation, or peace of mind, can be achieved in different ways. One of the ways involves mental chanting or repetition of mantras to ease one’s stress and tension. This method is also known as Japa Meditation.

Japa Meditation involves chanting of a mantra, which in most instances is composed of Sanskrit sounds which are so arranged to evoke a certain response from within the individual. The vibrations of such mantras are extremely effective in creating a very significant change in attitudes and mind-set. It helps in focusing one’s energies so as to achieve a sense of calmness within oneself.

The class is facilated by Dennis Curran, spiritual healer and psychic, who has trained in practised and taught Japa meditation for over 15 years.

Orders of love workshop

Date : Saturday 7th May 2011 - Time: 9.30am-5.30pm

Contact: Mary Hodnett For more details on 0863418673

This one day workshops use family constellations as developed by Bert Hellinger, as a way of working systemically with issues that arise within families. Through this work we can learn how our actions and their consequences affect our children and grandchildren, nieces and nephews, just as we are affected by our actions of our parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. From his many years of involvement in and observation of the constellation process in family systems, Hellinger came to the understanding that each family system has a conscience, striving to restore what he terms" The orders of Love" within the system.