Free counselling for those recovering from drug and alcohol addictions in Burnley

For those leaving supported housing or residential and community rehabilitation services, the pandemic is proving particularly challenging with access to traditional support services currently limited.

Earlier this year, the UK Addiction Treatment Group warned of a rise in relapse across the country following the additional pressures of lockdown.

Acorn Transformational Counselling will be providing 150 hours of free support to approximately thirty individuals following funding from the Morrison’s Foundation.

Ordinarily, these individuals would be attending mutual aid groups, meeting with their peer support network and accessing a range of community services to maintain their recover. With the availability of these support networks currently subject to local restrictions, there has been growing concern around potential relapse among recovering addicts.

Addiction rehabilitation service, Acorn Recovery Projects will refer a number of their former clients for the free counselling service. Staff at Acorn have seen a steep rise in requests for additional support with over half of clients expressing concerns about relapse.

In isolation, clients can often become de-motivated and begin to think negatively about themselves and their futures.

Each former Acorn client will be offered up to five one-hour motivational counselling sessions. People will be able to safely access the sessions remotely via video call or instant messaging.

“I’m extremely grateful to the Morrison’s foundation for making this level of support possible. With access to traditional support networks currently limited, the free counselling sessions on offer could be a vital lifeline for recovering addicts.”

Stephen Pattinson, head of Transformational Counselling, said: “It is imperative, now more than ever, that individuals are given the best opportunity to cement themselves in recovery. On-going support has, and always will be, a vital component for long-term abstinence."

Find out more at https://acornrecovery.org.uk/