When Zach鈥檚 dad passed away, the 15-year-old didn鈥檛 just find it hard to talk about how he was feeling. He found it hard to go to school each day.

His GCSE鈥檚 were fast-approaching. But sitting in the classroom listening to a teacher or thinking about homework or revision was another level of stress on top of the grief he was facing.

When his mum contacted his school to share her concerns, Zach鈥檚 tutor encouraged him to get in touch with the school counsellor.

And this was the start of a new, more positive, direction for him.

A space to let everything go

鈥淐ounselling gave me a space to let everything go,鈥� says Zach*.

鈥淲hen you鈥檙e dealing with things on your own, you can鈥檛 let out exactly what you鈥檙e thinking.

鈥淎 counsellor is someone who you know you can say everything to.鈥�

Initially Zach was a little anxious about going to see the school counsellor. He didn鈥檛 know what people would think.

鈥淚 was a bit weirded out about counselling. I was a bit scared. It was a big step.

鈥淏ut about 20 minutes in, when I started talking everything through, I immediately felt like a weight being lifted off my shoulders. The first session helped so much I knew I wanted to carry on.鈥�

Knowing the service was confidential was a big reassurance to him.

Not going to get judged

鈥淚t鈥檚 somewhere that you can talk about all your problems in a secure environment.

鈥淵ou can say exactly what鈥檚 in your head and you鈥檙e not going to get judged. You don鈥檛 have to worry about everything from outside. You know the counsellor will keep your problems to themselves.

鈥淭hey will listen to you and support you to get through things.

鈥淓ven though I was going through a tough time with my dad鈥檚 death, I鈥檇 just talk about lots of different things that I was getting stressed or sad about. All of those conversations helped.鈥�

He added: 鈥淚 know my mum and friends are helpful in certain ways. 听But a counsellor knows how to listen and talk to you in a way that makes a difference to you.

Zach really appreciated visiting a counsellor who was based at his school.

Familiar surroundings

It wasn鈥檛 far to go to see her, there were no long waiting lists and the therapy room was in familiar surroundings.

If he was having a difficult time 鈥� he could get in touch with her quickly and easily.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a counsellor here every day. You know that if you鈥檙e having a bad day you can ask to come and see her at lunchtime or breaktime for a quick chat or ask to have a session in the next couple of days. It鈥檚 so quick and easy to get a session.

鈥淵ou know you鈥檝e always got it in school, so it鈥檚 not as daunting seeing a counsellor somewhere else.

The knowledge that Zach was talking to a trained professional was reassuring to his mum as well.

In safe hands

鈥淎t the start, my mum was upset because she didn鈥檛 know how to help. But once she knew I was seeing the counsellor, she knew I was in safe hands and that I was getting better.鈥�

Zach can see the difference that counselling has made to him.

鈥淚t鈥檚 much easier to talk about my feelings now. If certain things get brought up, I don鈥檛 break down anymore.

He adds: 鈥淚f I hadn鈥檛 had seen a counsellor, I鈥檇 have struggled to get into school.

鈥淚鈥檇 have been more worried about coming into school as I鈥檇 have been more stressed.

鈥淚鈥檇 have had less sleep, I鈥檇 have struggled to even get up in the morning. It would have made my life 100 times harder.

鈥淔or me, if I hadn鈥檛 had counselling I wouldn鈥檛 have got through my GCSEs. Even just getting into that hall was a big step.

鈥淚鈥檓 so grateful for this support 鈥� and it鈥檚 so amazing that we have it available at school.鈥�

听

*Not his real name.

Thanks to the staff and students of Bristol Grammar School for their help with our school counselling case studies.