Interested in becoming a self-employed counsellor with Bright Light? Click here to find out more.
Welcome to Bright Light
We are the largest charitable provider of relationship counselling in Scotland, offering a range of services to people living in the Lothians.
To find out more about what counselling is and what we can offer you please see our services.
Self Referral
You can refer yourself to us using our registration service and we will get back to you as soon as possible to set up your counselling.
Our registration form is online and if completing forms online is a challenge for you, for any reason, please email: askus@bright-light.org.uk, giving us the best number to contact you on and we will call you to provide support to complete the form with you.
Ready to go?
If one of the following statements describes how you are feeling, please click on it, this will take you to a registration form which you can complete online.
If you are unsure what service you need please contact us.
If your employer is a member of our employee support scheme and has asked you to contact us, please register here.
You have completed your registration form, so what happens next?
Once we receive your registration we will begin to process it and within a short time, we will email you:-
your dedicated client reference number
a choice of first appointment dates and times
You will be asked to pay based on your income by debit/credit card or PayPal on our website when you book. All payments for sessions must be made in advance.
Please keep a note of your reference number, it’s unique to you and you need to use it when contacting us.
Your first appointment
Your first appointment is with one of our practitioners who will help you to clarify your needs and expectations for counselling, so that we can ensure our service is right for you.
First appointments last up to 50 minutes. You will also have an opportunity to discuss and agree on fee contributions for your counselling appointments.
After your first appointment is complete -
Your regular counselling time and date will be confirmed
If your first appointment is with a counsellor who can go on and work with you then the date and time you attend will be the set time going forward
Otherwise, you will be placed on our appointment waiting list and you will be emailed with a selection of appointments to choose from based on our service availability
How long will the counselling last?
Counselling is provided over 6 sessions, preferably on the same day and time each week as agreed at your first counselling appointment. We can offer fortnightly sessions but the frequency can’t be longer than that.
You may wish to have more than 6 sessions, so you and your counsellor can discuss this together when the counselling is reviewed, usually at session 4.
Most counselling will not be longer than 20 sessions, sometimes much less.
How much does it cost?
You will be working with a qualified practitioner and as a charity, we ask all our clients to contribute towards our running costs.
All counselling at Bright Light is subsidised.
Appointments are based on the household income scale on the registration form.
The contribution that you agree to pay, based on your household income and circumstances, must be paid 48 hours in advance of the session using the payment link which will be sent to you in your appointment confirmation email.
If you do not pay in advance your session will be paused - if you have any concerns about payment please contact us as soon as possible by email: askus@bright-light.org.uk
Please put your unique reference number and the word ‘payment’ in the subject heading.
Cost of Living
We know times are tough at the moment and we want to help as many people as possible. If you feel you would struggle to contribute the suggested fee, please speak to us in confidence so that we can discuss a more affordable amount. We will not turn you away.
If you do not have an email you can call us, you may have to leave a message so please give your name and reference number as well as your phone number.
Cancellations
We have limited availability and huge demand for our service so you must give us more than 48 hours’ notice if you need to rearrange your appointment to the following week.
With less than 48 hours’ notice, you will lose your contribution and will need to pay again for the next appointment. You can see our cancellation policy here.
As a charity, we are always operating a waiting list. Unfortunately, if you cancel 3 or more sessions we may have to end your counselling contract. This will mean you would have to register again if you wanted counselling and may not get the counsellor you were working with previously.
We understand that there are times when there are extenuating circumstances and appointments need to be rearranged, please get in touch with us sooner rather than later (not least to avoid being billed for cancellation) and email - askus@bright-light.org.uk
Placements
Sorry, our programme is full and opens again in January 2025.
