About Us
Mersey Counselling and Therapy Centre (MCTC) is a Charity which provides counselling and support
to people all over the North West.
MCTC
About Mersey Counselling and Therapy Centre
Our offer to heal extends across a range of counselling including support for individuals experiencing stress, anxiety/depression, bereavement, addiction, abuse, self-harm, suicidal thoughts and feelings and many more services.
MCTC’s purpose is to help those in need irrespective of their ability to pay.
We focus on need and helping individuals regain their inner strength to cope moving forward.
We pride ourselves on short waiting times and tailored counselling and 90-minute appointments if they are needed.
The demand for our services continues to grow greater, particularly as statutory support services for individuals are continually cut.
Please remember we are a charity and completely self supporting.
Find Out More About Mersey Counselling and Therapy Centre
2010
It started with a group of therapists taking a trip to in Ireland for a weekend of training.
What we found was a therapy centre that challenged our whole perception of what therapy and counselling can be. The centre felt and looked like a home. They disregarded clinical terms opting to see the person as a whole. They believed in an ethos that would change our lives going forward.
“Therapy should be accessible to all; irrespective of status, age, gender, clinical diagnosis or any labels placed on them by society.”
We were driven to replicate their vision and ethos closer to home, to empower those in need to understand their suffering, irrespective of their ability to pay.
And that is where our story begins.
2011-2016
With just two therapists, MCTC opened its doors on 2nd June 2011. As time went on, more therapists joined our cause. We still had no idea where our rent was coming from each month; but it did, month-by month. We fundraised day-and-night to keep our doors open to those who needed our service; it was a labour of love.
In 2014, with the support of the community we relocated our premises to the current home of MCTC. Teams of volunteers came to clean and decorate. Local businesses donated furniture and carpets to support our cause. We grew and grew; expanding to 20 therapists, 3 staff and 9 therapy rooms including a fully-equipped Art Room and Library.
In 2016, we hit a major financial wall and thought that we might have to close our doors. When the immediate crisis had passed, the Trustees had to decide whether MCTC should close altogether, shrink back to a smaller Charity or grow bigger and spread our reach. Through a shared dream – they took a risk and chose growth.
2020 & beyond…
When the pandemic of covid-19 hit in March 2020, MCTC launched an online service. As statutory services closed, we grew our client base. Now MCTC can offer both online counselling and face to face, we have more clients than ever before. We reguarly invest in training and now have a clinical data platform that ensures we meet GDPR regulations and enables our online service to be provided so efficiently.
We are hugely proud of all that we have achieved and especially of our brilliant team of Therapists, Staff, Trustees, Patrons and Supporters.
In 2021 we secured funding from the REACH Foundation which is enabling an internal review of our organisation, formulation of a 10 year business plan and a focus on sustainability. We are committed to a cyclical process of reviewing and improving our delivery.
We never imagined growing to where we are now so who knows what the future will look like.
The story of MCTC continues day by day.
MCTC’s team of therapists continues to grow. We currently have a range of therapists in various modalities.
MCTC have been recognised as ‘outstanding’ by the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society.
The NCPS holds a register of practitioners which is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority under its Accredited Registers programme.
Read more here:
All of our therapists are fully qualified and either professionally accredited or actively working towards accreditation. ‘Professional Accreditation’ is a robust and demanding process requiring much reflection and work in order to meet high professional standards set by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) or the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP).
Interested in joining our team?
In order for MCTC to operate in a fully ethical and appropriate way and to comply with all statutory requirements, the work of MCTC is governed by a board of Trustees who oversee and are responsible for policy, procedure, finance and the general running of the organisation.
Our Trustees give freely of their time and expertise and we owe them a great deal.
Founder of 5 Therapy Centres
Clinical Director of
Castlebar Counselling & Therapy Centre
Our Patrons
Our Patrons
Our MCTC Patrons generously give us their time and support and often help us to make connections with other organisations or individuals who share our values.
We will miss Frank Field who was our first ever patron.
Woman of the Year 2015
Chair – Survivors of the Bereaved by Suicide
Talk to Us Today!
Address
Mersey Counselling and Therapy Centre,
1 The Coach House,
Albion Street, Birkenhead, CH41 5HB
Working Hours
Monday – Friday
10 AM – 6 PM
Saturday
AM