Wales’ first ‘Give What You Can’ counselling service for men launches

Nation Cymru staff

To mark Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, not-for-profit HELPU, the men’s mental health hub for Wales, has launched Wales’ first dedicated ‘Give What You Can’ professional counselling service for men.

The launch comes at a critical time. Around four out of every five people who die by suicide in Wales are men, and Wales continues to have one of the highest male suicide rates in the UK. Yet too many men still don’t seek support until they’re at breaking point.

HELPU aims to tackle two of the biggest barriers stopping men from accessing counselling: the cost of professional support and the misconception that meaningful change only comes after months of therapy.

The new service gives men across Wales access to a 90-minute online counselling session with an experienced, BACP-accredited counsellor.

Using an evidence-based Solution-Focused approach, HELPU say it can help men experiencing stress, anxiety, low mood, relationship difficulties, work pressures, grief, loss of confidence or simply feeling stuck.

Rather than charging a fixed fee, HELPU asks men to give what they can afford, helping make professional counselling more accessible while ensuring more men can access support.

Ian Smith, Founder of HELPU, said: “I’m incredibly excited to launch this service because I’ve seen first-hand the difference the right conversation can make.

“During my time as a counsellor in the Youth Justice System, Cardiff University and Mind in Merthyr and the Valleys, I met countless men who felt trapped by their circumstances but left with renewed hope, greater clarity and a practical way forward.

“Too many men still think counselling means months of talking about the past. It doesn’t have to. Solution-Focused Counselling is an evidence-based approach that helps men recognise their strengths, focus on what can change and start making progress from the very first session.

“Every day we hear from men who don’t know where to turn. Some can’t afford private counselling, while others simply don’t feel counselling is for them. We wanted to remove those barriers by creating a professional ‘Give What You Can’ service that focuses on practical outcomes. If one man reaches out earlier because of this, we’ve made a difference.”

Founded by volunteers, HELPU Cymru exists to reduce suicide among men in Wales by connecting men to support, stories, services and each other. As Wales’ dedicated men’s mental health hub, the organisation works with community groups, employers, sporting organisations and charities across the country to improve men’s mental wellbeing and help prevent suicide.

The new counselling service is available now.

For more information, visit www.helpu.org.uk/counselling-service