What is this service?
This is psychological support for people facing criminal charges, usually for the first time, and for the families going through it beside them. It is short-term, structured counselling focused on the issues connected to the allegations: the impulse, the anger, the addiction, the boundary that failed. It is not legal advice, and it does not judge how you got here. It deals with what happens next.
How can this help you?
A first charge upends everything at once: the court dates, the family conversations, the sleep, the sense of who you are. Counselling gives that chaos one steady, confidential room. The work addresses the behaviour in question honestly, because minimizing it helps no one, least of all you in front of a judge, and builds the self-awareness and control that make repetition genuinely unlikely.
There is also a practical dimension. Courts and defence lawyers take voluntary, documented therapeutic work seriously. Beginning counselling early demonstrates, credibly, that you are treating the matter with the seriousness it deserves.
Letter for your lawyer
When counselling concludes, a letter can be prepared confirming your attendance and summarizing the therapeutic work undertaken in relation to the allegations. Letters are typically requested by your defence lawyer and are prepared about ten business days after the final session. You review the letter first; nothing is sent without your written authorization. Once approved, it goes to your lawyer and becomes part of the defence submission, supporting plea negotiations or trial preparation.
Challenges covered
The work is matched to the allegations and to you. It frequently includes:
- Anger management and aggression
- Impulse control, including gambling and theft-related behaviours
- Addictions
- Boundaries and healthy relationship habits
- Empathic communication
- Self-awareness and accountability
- Mindfulness and emotional regulation
- Support for spouses and family members
