About Arun Counselling Centre
What we do
Since 1983, we have supported people in Arun and beyond with better mental health.
Based in Littlehampton, Sussex, we are a charity and BACP accredited counselling service providing low-cost and subsidised counselling.
Our services include individual counselling sessions, Employee Assistance Programmes, placements and CPD for trainee counsellors and qualified professionals.
Why we do it
We see every day how access to the right support at the right time can make a lasting difference not just to the individual’s quality of life but also extending into relationships, family, friends and confidence at home and work.
We believe everyone deserves access to affordable support as good mental health helps create stronger families, workplaces and communities.
Our Vision
Good mental health for everyone.
Our Mission
To improve mental health outcomes by removing barriers to counselling and providing high quality, accessible support.
History
ACC began its life as Littlehampton and District Counselling Service in 1983 to provide an almost free counselling service to people in the local area. Run entirely by volunteers, an initial 8 counsellors undertook training with Joan Miller on a four-year programme accredited by the University of London. Joan was a trainer at the Westminster Pastoral Foundation, and a Quaker who was much involved in the Friends’ Meeting House in Church Street. Anna Barnard, one of the original counsellors and later a Director and Chair of Trustees at ACC, remembers the training as being gruelling and rigorous.
Clients were originally seen in lots of places such as doctor’s surgeries and the old Dairy in Littlehampton. The service found its first home at what is now the mobility centre in Littlehampton, with Anna recalling that ACC had “a very nice set of rooms there, for a very small amount of money”. The service grew and by the time it was renamed Arun Counselling Centre it had 12 counsellors
The service grew slowly and naturally, and ACC moved to its current location, Dove Lodge, in 2002. It gained charitable status and continues to offer low-cost counselling and to provide valuable placement opportunities for students who are training with local providers such as Chichester University, Cara Counselling and other centres in Brighton and Horsham.
Our Values
- Compassion – We listen without judgement and support every person with warmth and respect.
- Accessibility – We remove barriers to ensure better mental health through counselling is available to everyone.
- Integrity – We uphold high professional and ethical standards in everything we do.
- Growth – We support growth enabling meaningful progress for individuals, practitioners, workplaces and within our community.
- Community – We exist for the community and because of the community – it’s at the heart of everything we do.
Our Services
Counselling for Individuals
Low-cost counselling to help adults manage stress, anxiety, loss, relationship issues, and life’s daily challenges. Sessions are confidential, affordable, and available face-to-face or online, with funded options for those most in need.
Employee Wellbeing Programmes
Our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) helps businesses support staff wellbeing, reduce absenteeism, and boost productivity. We offer confidential counselling for employees in workplaces that value their people.
Training for counsellors
Supporting the current and next generation of professionals through placements, CPD and specialist training, and our membership network, Friends of Arun. We create a community where counsellors grow in confidence, competence, and care.
