A free face-to-face counselling service has proved a hit with troubled glbt people who need more than a helpful voice at the end of a phone. For decades OUTLine, formerly Gayline, has offered advice and support through an 0800 phone service but only this year have they been able to secure funding for personal counselling sessions. The organisation says demand for the service has been “strong” since it was introduced earlier this year, though actual figures are not immediately available. “Counselling is something that all of us could benefit from occasionally,” says OUTLine General Manager Vaughan Meneses. “People seek counselling for a range of reasons and it does not always have to be over anything major. Often having another perspective and bringing a different level of insight into some of the stuff that happens in our lives can assist us to enjoy life more.” While the service is already well-used, appointments for counselling sessions can readily be arranged. “We don’t have a waiting list at the moment and we have the ability to bring more counsellors into the programme to meet our increasing demand,” Meneses says. The free, confidential face-to-face counselling is currently only available in Auckland, appointments can be made on 0800 688 5463.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 11th October 2011 - 2:54pm