Grief and loss
The death of someone close, a loss other people did not notice, or grief that arrives years after the event.
Somewhere to say it out loud
Counselling for adults and couples, in a quiet room on the ground floor or by video from home. Bring whatever is weighing on you, and a counsellor replies to each request within one working day.
50 minuteson your own
75 minutesas a couple
4 eveningsa week, until 20:30
Open Door Counselling is not an emergency or crisis service. If a life is at risk right now, yours or anyone else's, please call your local emergency number without waiting, or reach a crisis line in your country.
What people bring to the room
Our counsellors work with adults aged 18 and over, on their own or as a couple. You do not need a name for what you are feeling before you get in touch.
Worry that will not settle
Racing thoughts at night, a knot in the stomach before work, or dread that has started to shape the week.
Low mood and flatness
Days that feel grey, losing interest in things that used to matter, or simply feeling worn down.
Change and upheaval
A move, a new baby, retirement, redundancy or a diagnosis, and the mixed feelings that come after it.
Family patterns
Old dynamics with parents, siblings or friends, and conversations that always seem to end the same way.
Confidence and self worth
A harsh inner critic, comparing yourself with everyone else, or never quite feeling good enough.
Counsellors here do not diagnose conditions or prescribe medication, and we do not work with children. If another kind of help would suit you better, we tell you plainly and suggest where to look.
Counselling for couples
Couples come when the same argument keeps circling back, when trust has been shaken, or when a big change has pulled them in different directions. The counsellor does not take sides or decide who is right. The work is helping each of you say what you mean and hear what the other is really saying.
Sessions run for 75 minutes, so there is time for both voices. Couples who have decided to separate come too, to part with less damage and to keep talking well as parents.
- Couples of any age, gender or background
- Sessions together, with a one to one now and then if you both agree
- Support for separating parents
- In the room or by video, even from two different places
Your first steps through the door
You can stop at any point, and nothing is decided without you.
Send a request
Say whether you are coming alone or as a couple, in the room or on video, and the times that tend to suit you.
A 15 minute call
A counsellor rings within one working day to hear a little of what is going on and to answer your questions. The call costs nothing.
Your first session
Time to talk about what brought you here and what you would like to be different, at whatever depth feels right.
Check in together
After the fourth session you look at how it is going and agree whether to carry on, change course or finish.
What sessions cost
Fees are set per session. There are no blocks to buy in advance and nothing to sign up to.
| Session | Length | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory phone call | 15 minutes | No charge |
| Individual session | 50 minutes | $90 |
| Couples session | 75 minutes | $135 |
| Lower fee session for students and people on low incomes | 50 minutes | from $50 |
Pay the practice directly after each session. Cancel at least 48 hours ahead, or the full fee applies. A few lower fee places open each month, so ask about them on the call. Whether insurance covers any of it varies by country and by policy.
What stays between us
Your counsellor explains confidentiality at the first session in plain words, and you can ask about it again whenever you like.
Private by default
What you say in a session stays with your counsellor. Notes are short, stored securely and never passed to an employer or a relative.
When safety has to come first
If someone is at serious risk of harm, or a child or vulnerable adult is in danger, we may have to involve others. Where we can, we talk it through with you before anything happens.
Rules differ from place to place
Laws on confidentiality, record keeping and the registration of counsellors are not the same in every country. We explain the ones that apply where we practise.
Supervision
Each counsellor reviews their work regularly with an experienced supervisor, as good practice expects, without ever using your name.
Inside the practice
Two counselling rooms, a small waiting area that is never crowded, a corner kept ready for video sessions and a garden door for a quiet exit.
What clients have said (example reviews)
Shared with permission and shortened to initials.
After months of the same row on repeat, we finally understood what each of us was asking for. Neither of us felt blamed, which surprised us both.
Grief had been sitting on everything for over a year. One hour a week that belonged to it made the rest of the week easier to carry.
Evening video sessions fitted around shift work, and the counsellor was clear from day one about fees, cancelling and what would stay private.
Before you get in touch
Can you help in a crisis?
No. Open Door Counselling does not provide crisis or emergency support, and messages are only read during opening hours. When safety is at stake, the right first step is your local emergency number, and crisis lines in your country can also talk with you.
How is a counsellor different from a psychologist?
Both offer talking therapy, but the training routes and titles differ, and they vary by country. Our counsellors trained specifically in counselling. They do not prescribe medication, so if you think medication might help, speak to your doctor.
Are your counsellors qualified and registered?
Every counsellor here holds a recognised counselling qualification, carries professional insurance and belongs to a professional body with an ethics code and a complaints process. Registration rules differ by country, and in some places anyone may use the title, so it is always worth asking.
How many sessions will it take?
There is no set number. Some people come for six sessions about one thing, while others stay for longer. You review it together after the fourth session and can pause or stop whenever you choose.
Can one of us come without the other?
Yes. Some people start alone and invite a partner later, and some couples agree on an occasional individual session. Your counsellor explains how that works so nobody feels left out.
What do we need for a video session?
A private room where you will not be overheard, headphones if others are at home, and a steady connection. We send a secure link before each session.
Ask for a first session
Tell us who is coming, whether you prefer the room or video, and when you are usually around. A counsellor replies within one working day to arrange the short call.
This form is only read during opening hours. For urgent help, a crisis line where you live or your local emergency number is the place to turn.
- Individual sessions from $90
- The introductory call costs nothing
- Pay the practice directly, session by session
Finding Open Door
The entrance is level with the street, the waiting area is shared with nobody else, and you can leave through the garden door after a session if you would rather not pass the waiting room.
Get in touch
Ground floor rooms in a converted townhouse on a quiet side street, a short walk from the tram stop
Opening hours
| Monday to Thursday | 09:00 to 20:30 |
| Friday | 09:00 to 17:00 |
| Saturday | 09:00 to 13:00 |
| Sunday | Closed |
If it cannot wait
We are not able to respond in an emergency. Where anyone's safety is at risk, call your local emergency number first. Many countries also run crisis lines that you can phone or text.