THE founder of a Wellington-based counselling service has said she fears that more and more people will be coming forward wanting support because of domestic abuse issues.

Director of Wellington Community Counselling, Rhonda Lovell, said the organisation had received 264 referrals for support in 2024/25 which amounted to 348 counselling sessions.

It was agreed by Wellington Town Council in February 2023 to enter into a new three-year Service Level Agreement with the charity with increasing levels of funding from £17,400 in 2023-24, £19,140 in 2024/25 and £20,880 in 2025/26.

And Rhonda was quick to thank councillors for their continued support at the town council’s annual parish meeting held on May 28.

Rhonda set up Wellington Community Counselling in 2018 and over the years it has helped lots of people with mental health issues and she told councillors that during the past 12 months the ages of clients had gone from a child of four to someone in their late 70s.

Councillors heard that data showed that 24 people in the Wellington North council area had asked for support, while there were 13 in Wellington South. Rhonda explained that there was no data available for other areas.

Councillors heard the main reasons for referrals were anxiety, depression and low mood, but Rhonda believed that the issue of domestic abuse would come to the fore in the future.

She had previously likened the reasons for referrals as being like a “bowl of spaghetti” – a lot of issues all mixed in together.

And Rhonda told councillors that domestic abuse was often the root cause behind the actual reason why a person had been referred for counselling support.

She explained that only three people had been referred over the past year specifically for domestic abuse reasons, but data showed that there had been some sort of domestic abuse issue amongst nearly a third of the clients.

Councillors heard that she expected a “bigger number of domestic abuse” referrals coming forward.

“Behind every label is a bigger picture which needs to be explored,” she said. “What a complex world every human being is in today.”

The town council funding helps Wellington Community Counselling to provide free and affordable counselling services for local people – taking referrals from GPs, school parent and family support advisors and directly from individuals.

Cllr Mark Lithgow said: “I’m very pleased to hear about the work which Wellington Community Counselling is doing in the town – it is much appreciated.”

Rhonda explained that “word of mouth” had definitely helped to spread the word about the counselling services over the years.

Wellington Community Counselling was set-up with the main purpose of offering free and/or affordable family and therapeutic services. It believes that healthy and strong families make for a strong a health community.

The not-for-profit organisation is committed to removing the barriers to making wellness possible for everyone, wherever they are. It works towards this by providing affordable and free counselling, therapeutic courses and supervision.

Town council funding has been crucial to the charity’s ongoing success.