Chrysalis^® News

Two women are launching an innovative counselling service to help professionals who are directly and indirectly affected by bereavement.

Amanda Carter of Worlaby and Geraldine Sellars of North Coates are offering an affordable counselling service to help teachers, GPs and solicitors across North and North East Lincolnshire, after they discovered there was a lack of support for professionals and families in the region.

When Amanda's husband Philip Kenyon died in 2002, the mum of five felt there was a lack of emotional support available.

"When Philip died of cancer there was very little support for us as a family. Although individual help was available, there was nothing my children and I could attend together, which would have been far more beneficial," she told This is Scunthorpe.

The experience encouraged Amanda to take up counselling training as she wanted to help others in the same situation. "I also wanted to help teachers support children within schools when they are suffering from a bereavement and solicitors and GPs who often have to pick up the pieces," she added.

In 2007 Amanda met Geraldine, when they both undertook a counselling degree at Hull University, the pair graduated earlier this year and started a partnership to launch their own service.

Geraldine used to work in a doctors surgery and was surprised by national statistics indicating the number of people on anti-depressants, the lack of counselling readily available also left her shocked.

"Our own experiences have driven Amanda and I to strive to make a difference and we are really passionate about the new service. We cannot wait to start putting our degrees to use," Geraldine said.