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As Swansea Counselling Service (SCS) recently passed its fortieth anniversary, I thought it an appropriate time to reflect on the vital service the group and its members have delivered to the people of Swansea. Over the years I have had the privilege to work for Swansea Counselling Service in a number of roles including; Counsellor, Treasurer, and current Supervisor.

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1980s - Swansea Counselling Service was born 

Swansea Counselling Service (SCS) is a not-for-profit counselling organisation that was established in the 1980’s by Pat Beardsworth. Pat, the senior lecturer of counselling at the Institute of Health Care Swansea University, along with a band of other dedicated practitioners, had come to realise that there was an urgent demand for the people of Swansea who needed counselling. However, they were unable to access this facility because of the growing NHS waiting list and the cost of private therapy. SCS was formed in response to this and was roughly based on an existing model of subsidised counselling that was operated by some churches in Penarth; although SCS has no religious affiliation. 

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Pat Beardsworth - innovator and true inspiration to others 

Pat herself was renowned as an inspirational lecturer, practitioner, and clinical supervisor, with a long and distinguished career in mental health even before she joined academia. In the 1960's, working in the field of mental health care, Pat was recognised as a forward thinker. Many of her ideas, regarding the rights of patients and their welfare in a mental health setting, although regarded as radical by many at the time, have since become orthodox and standard practice. In her capacity as Chairperson of SCS, every year Pat would handpick one or two students who had qualified as counsellors to join the group. I had the privilege to be asked to join SCS in 2001, along with another committed and long serving counsellor to the group, Mrs Christine Anderson; who later herself went on to become chairperson of the group. All therapists are required by their professional bodies to undertake continued and regular supervision, and as the SCS clinical supervisor Pat conducted her group supervision at her rooms in the university. Pat set a high standard  of professionalism and ethics both in her teaching, and also as the group supervisor; this is something we still pride ourselves on to this day.

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1990s - some challenges ahead  

As a not-for-profit organisation, SCS’s practitioners give of their time and expertise for free, and the nominal fee that we charge our clients is to cover basic running expenses, such as administrative costs and rent. This means that the group have always relied on the generosity and kindness of local businesses or churches, to provide a suitable room where the group's therapists can see clients at a peppercorn rent.

However, in the nineties when our long-term rent agreement expired and the existing premises underwent a change of use, we found ourselves unable to secure a new building in which to continue our work and the organisation faced the very real threat of imminent closure. Following an emergency meeting the members of the group decided to launch a campaign to try and save SCS! I was appointed the Campaign Coordinator, and by using my connections in the media arranged a series of newspaper articles and national and local radio interviews. Once appraised of our plight, the media immediately sensed the importance of the work at SCS and realised the impact our closure would have on the people of Swansea; they granted me interviews on both national and local radio stations and coverage of our difficulties in the newspapers.

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Our campaign was successful and drew an amazing response. The whole group was truly overwhelmed by the messages of gratitude from past clients and the offers of support from local business and religious organisations, who appreciated the work. SCS was particularly beholden to the generous offer of a room in which to carry on our work by the Minister and congregation of the Memorial Baptist Chapel, which allowed us to continue our vital service throughout the nineties. SCS was also grateful to Roger Duncan, the then Director of the substance misuse agency SANDS, who supported us with a much-needed financial donation following some counselling work the group carried out for his clients.

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However, it was not long after the group had secured a new long lease of premises that Pat Beardworth decided, due to her poor health, to relinquish her role as Head of SCS and she moved to Wigan, to be near her family. A few years later, regrettably, the group along with Pat’s colleagues, students, and ex-clients, heard the sad news that Pat had passed away. Following this sad news and Pat’s resignation, the role of SCS Chairperson and Group Coordinator was taken over by Mr Tony Phillips. Tony had a reputation as a highly proficient and experienced practitioner and a prominent local businessman.

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Tony Phillips - successfully supporting student counsellors into the profession 

Despite being a Director of his own highly successful counselling business -Adytum Counselling - and working as a therapist himself; Tony somehow found the time to volunteer as a therapist with SCS and remained a long-term and highly regarded member throughout his time there. 

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When SCS was formed, there was only one of the current major professional therapeutic bodies in existence, this is now known at the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP), which was in its infancy having been inaugurated ten years earlier. SCS is a progressive organisation and has evolved along with the professional  bodies, such as the BACP, to meet the changing needs of society and the advances in the therapeutic process. When the BACP introduced a more formal requirement for students to have mandatory work placements as part of their training, Tony, who was well known for his infectious enthusiasm toward therapy, was the ideal person to develop our effective student programme. 

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Working closely with the new professional guidelines and local colleges, Tony established a successful training programme that allowed carefully selected students towards the end of their studies, to join SCS for work experience. Tony matched students with suitable clients and arranged experienced mentors to be on-hand to provide advice and guidance. The students joined the rest of the group for monthly clinical supervision, which not only ensured that they worked in an ethical way and followed good practices, but were also able to learn from other experienced practitioners who were describing their practice.

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Regrettably, the group suffered another huge loss when Tony suddenly passed away, and he will always be remembered fondly by the members who knew him and benefited from his kindness and humour.

Tony left the enduring legacy of his business, Adytum Counselling, which his wife still runs successfully today. There are also practitioners currently working who openly declare  a debt of gratitude to Tony for introducing them into the profession and nurturing them as they trained to become therapists.

The student programme which Tony developed still exists and every year we are oversubscribed by students who want to work with SCS in order to gain the vital experience necessary to complete their studies.

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Christine (Chris) Anderson, David Lloyd-Brown & Meurig Nicholas 

Following Tony’s death, Chris Anderson became Chairperson, I (David Lloyd-Brown) took over the group supervision, with newer member, Meurig Nicholas, becoming the group's Coordinator.

SCS is extremely grateful to Meurig, who for a number of years not only counselled SCS clients, but has worked hard behind the scenes coordinating clients with practitioners and was the friendly voice people heard on the other end of the phone when they made initial contact with us.

Meurig, using his considerable organisational skills and administrative experience, also worked tirelessly updating the groups constitution and was responsible for SCS becoming part of Swansea Council for Volunteers in Swansea (SCVS), thus allowing more of the population of Swansea to have access to our services.

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As SCS has become more well-known and our caseload of clients have increased, we have found it necessary to move into purpose-built premises. Today, along with a number of other professional therapists, we are based at 'The Life Therapy Centre' situated in the centre of Swansea.  

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Meurig Nicholas, David Lloyd-Brown and Emma Shears 

After a number of years in the role of SCS Coordinator, Meurig recently handed over this aspect of his work to Emma Shears, Meurig remains active within the group as our Secretary and continues to work as a Counsellor, also. 

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Emma was supported by SCS as a counselling student and successfully gained her client experience with mentoring and guidance from Meurig and David. Emma is particularly suited to the Coordination role, being a practitioner in private practice herself, and has the experience and skills in the coordination of clients. Emma has been key in organising the group’s new website, and together with the input from the group and their sharing of ideas - SCS now has an online presence.  

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Reflective Summary - Pat's memory and vision 

The last forty years have been an interesting and sometimes testing time for SCS and its members. However, despite periods of financial uncertainty and certain setbacks, including the coronavirus pandemic, we have not only survived but have adapted to meet the needs of clients and society; also adapting to the changing regulations of the therapeutic professional bodies, which we closely adhere to. 

Ultimately, our purpose remains true to Pat Beardsworth’s original concept, which is to support generations of high calibre students into the profession and provide essential therapy to those people of Swansea who might otherwise not be able to afford it. Fortunately, with our band of volunteers both old and new we remain dedicated to continuing Pat’s vision of equality, well into the future.