Counselling Helpline

Oakdale’s counsellor answered freephone telephone helpline is open 24 hours a day every day of the year. Telephone counselling is conducted by trained, qualified and experienced Oakdale counsellors. The duty counsellors are able to take calls and speak to the caller at the time. No call back is required.

Telephone counselling is designed to:

• Undertake a thorough assessment of the employee’s current concerns and support requirements

• Provide immediate support to the individual

• Provide a forum for them to understand and make sense of their issues

• Assist them in developing coping strategies to deal with the issues that they may be experiencing in their personal lives or at work

• If the programme allows and if required, refer the caller to further support such as face to face therapy

• Where appropriate, signpost the caller to additional sources of support e.g. Alcoholics Anonymous, Relate etc.

The helpline may be used for ad hoc calls or for scheduled courses of structured telephone counselling at times convenient to the employee.

Users of the helpline may use the confidential service to discuss any personal or work related issues. Personal matters may include stress, anxiety or depression, relationship issues, family matters, work life balance conflicts, addictions, health and wellbeing, and bereavement as well as other mental health issues. Work related issues may include work related stress, bullying and harassment, management of workload, redundancy and interpersonal issues.