Latest News
Donations Appeal 2026 - Our funding is changing but grief doesn't wait. Click here for more information.
Our counsellors
Professional counsellors who choose to volunteer
More than 40 counsellors give their time to CCIWBS voluntarily. They come from a wide range of backgrounds and bring different professional and life experiences to their work. Our team includes qualified counsellors and counsellors completing the later stages of their professional training under supervision.
What they share is a particular interest in working with people following bereavement and significant loss.
Our volunteer model has been part of CCIWBS for many years. It enables counsellors to contribute their skills to their local community while being part of a specialist bereavement counselling service. Many make a long-term commitment to the charity and continue working with us for a number of years.
Why counsellors stay with us
Our counsellors are an important part of the CCIWBS community. On average, our volunteer counsellors remain with the service for around four years, while some have volunteered with us for more than 20 years.
We aim to provide an environment in which counsellors can develop their practice while contributing to work they value. Counsellors have opportunities for continuing professional development, clinical supervision and peer support, as well as the experience that comes from working within a specialist bereavement service.
This continuity also matters to CCIWBS. Long-standing volunteers bring experience and knowledge of the service while newer counsellors bring different perspectives and approaches.
Training, supervision and professional practice
Many of our counsellors are fully qualified, or continue to further their training beyond diploma level. We have been offering placement opportunities to counsellors in training at universities, colleges and counselling training organisations for decades and many decide to stay with us beyond the completion of their training. We also have a small number of counsellors who have no formal counselling training but have been working with us supporting people after bereavement for many years.
All our counsellors receive regular clinical supervision and in-house specialist bereavement training. CCIWBS is an organisational member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and works within its professional and ethical framework.
Counsellors joining us on placement must already be undertaking recognised professional counselling training and have substantial supervised counselling experience before working with CCIWBS clients. We provide supervision in line with relevant training requirements, and client hours completed with us may count towards a counsellor's professional training.
Our counsellors work integratively, drawing on different counselling approaches in response to the individual person rather than expecting every client to work in the same way.
Becoming a volunteer counsellor
We welcome interest from qualified counsellors and counsellors in professional training who would like to contribute their skills to our work.
Our recruitment process helps us make sure that counsellors have the experience, training and approach needed to work safely and thoughtfully with people seeking support after bereavement and significant loss.