Nottingham Counselling Service – about us

Nottingham Counselling Service – our history, counsellors, trustees and management

The aim of Nottingham Counselling Service (NCS) and our counsellors is to promote emotional health and well-being through inclusive and accessible services and practices.

History

Although established in 1977 as Nottingham Counselling Centre (as it was then known), we can trace our history back to 1875 with the formation of the Charity Organisation Society.

Today, we have grown to become one of the leading independent providers of therapy and support for adults living, studying and working in Nottinghamshire. 

Nottingham Counselling Service – our counsellors

All our counsellors are highly qualified and experienced in working with people from all walks of life.  They have excellent listening skills and are trained to listen to you without judgment to help understand your current difficulties, past experiences, present anxieties and concerns about the future. 

When you visit one of our counsellors, they are trained to help you to make your own choices and decisions about the changes you want to make in your life.  They are there to listen and support you, not to give advice or tell you how you should feel and what you should do.

Counsellors:

• Our counsellors undergo regular, rigorous appraisals to ensure a highly professional standard of practice and service
• Our counsellors are Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) checked
• Most of our counsellors are BACP accredited and/or registered members of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP); all other counsellors are further or advanced training. All counsellors are professionally supervised and work within the Ethical Framework for Good Practice of the BACP.

Trustees and Executive Committee Members

Jinny Gray – Trustee
Jinny has served as a Trustee and Executive Committee member since November 1998 and is the longest serving member of the Committee. She is also a qualified senior counsellor.

Angie Whitehead – Vice Chairperson
Angie has served as a Trustee and Executive Committee member since September 2003 and has been Joint Chair of the Board of Trustees for two years. Angie is also a qualified counsellor working for the Connexions Service as Personal Adviser.

Tony Curtis – Trustee
Tony Curtis is a retired solicitor with experience in the management of a solicitors practice, a building company, nursing homes and a large commercial property portfolio. 

He has been Trustee and member of the Executive Committee since January 2002.

Michael Hooley – Chairperson
Mike is a self-employed Human Resources Consultant. He is the current Chair and previously Joint Chair of the Board of Trustees for two years and a Executive Committee member since January 2004. He is a qualified counsellor and previously worked at Mansfield Counselling Centre as a volunteer counsellor.

Marc Gibson – Committee Member
Marc was appoited in November 2009 as a Volunteer representative.

Shirley Share – Committee Member
Shirley was appoited in November 2009 as a Volunteer representative.

Bettina Wallace – Executive Committee Member
Bettina was appoited in November 2009 to represent diversity issues.

Leslie McDonald – Executive Director & Company Secretary
Leslie was appointed as Executive Director and Company Secretary in September 2005. He has a background of more than 20 years in senior management within the business support and regeneration sector. He holds a Masters Degree with Distinction in Entrepreneurship from the University of Nottingham.

Leslie brings expertise and experience in consulting, voluntary sector development and engagement with Black and Ethnic communities.