Quality counselling at affordable costs is a reality for adults who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford it, thanks to a new clinic in Woodstock.
The Counselling Hub, at 52-54 Francis Street, held an official opening last Thursday.
The Hub is the result of a collaboration between the South African College of Applied Psychology (SACAP) and the Kaplan Kushlick Educational Foundation, according to the college’s executive director, Kentse Radebe.
“We always wanted to work in the mental health space, particularly because the need is so great in South Africa,” she said.
The Counselling Hub offers one-on-one adult counselling for a fee of R50. And there are free group workshops where people with low incomes can get professional help to deal with personal crises, grief, basic life skills, trauma and addiction.
Romi Kaplan is the Hub’s co-founder and one of the counsellors.
“It’s a multi-activity space, it does all types of therapeutic activities like workshops, rides for health, movie nights as well as being a meeting point for learners and professional volunteers who might feel isolated in private practices.”
Professional volunteers help with the counselling.
Dr Tracey Naledi, a public health physician with the provincial health department, praised the Hub concept.
“I think one of the problems is that the poorest people do not have access to counselling services; it is not just poor people, other people as well, because it is very expensive in the private sector,” she said.
She said the concept could spread to other communities.
Hub coordinator Shifra Jacobson said they had clients from all over Cape Town as as far afield as Stellenbosch.
Email info@counsellinghub.org.za, call 021 462 3902 or visit www.counsellinghub.org.za for more information.
