Skip over main navigation
  • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)
HIV Scotland

Will you help us end HIV stigma?

Generation Zero Donate
Menu
  • Get support
    • Know the facts
      • Basic Facts
      • Testing for HIV
      • Living with HIV
      • Treating HIV
      • PrEP
      • PEP
      • U=U
    • Resources
    • Wellbeing Support
      • Overview
      • Life Coaching
      • Therapy & Counselling
      • Comedy Workshops
    • Your Stories
    • HIV Connects
    • Our Trusted Partners
    • Helpful Links
  • Get involved
    • Volunteering
    • Events
    • HIV Scotland Advisory Networks
      • Community Advisory Network
      • Women's Advisory Network
      • PrEP Advisory Network
      • Schedule
    • Conference
    • Jobs
    • Regional Forums
      • Borders Positive Forum
      • Lothian HIV Patients Forum
  • Our work
    • Our Projects
    • Generation Zero
    • National Patient Survey
    • Living Well: 50+
    • HIV Self Test Scotland
    • Training
    • The difference we make
  • Coronavirus
    • HIV & Coronavirus
    • PrEP & Coronavirus
    • Sex & Physical Distancing
    • Been at risk of HIV?
    • Sex Work & COVID-19
    • Reproductive Health & COVID-19
    • COVID-19 Vaccines & HIV
  • Fundraising
    • Generation Zero Appeal
    • Virtual Kiltwalk 2021
    • Ways to help
    • Active Fundraisers
  • About us
    • Our Strategic Plan
    • Our Annual Report 19-20
    • What we do
      • Preventing HIV
      • Access to treatment, care & support
      • Meaningful involvement
      • Bringing the sector together
      • Informing the public
      • Parliamentary Submissions
    • Meet The Team
    • Meet The Board
    • Our History
    • Our Research
    • Research Posters
    • Latest
      • News
      • Blogs
  • Get in touch
  • Admin
    • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)
  • therapy-and-counselling
  1. Get support
  2. Wellbeing Support
  3. Therapy & Counselling

Therapy and Counselling

HIV Scotland is now offering free therapy and counselling for people living with HIV in Scotland. 

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

In the UK, people living with HIV are twice as likely to experience problems with their mental health than the general population. Therapy and counselling have different benefits to help you understand your thoughts, feelings, relationships and behaviours.

Please also look at our Life Coaching as it may be what you are looking for!

Therapy and Counselling Available

Counselling

Counselling is a talking therapy that involves a trained therapist listening to you and helping you find ways to deal with emotional issues. Sometimes the term "counselling" is used to refer to talking therapies in general, but counselling is also a type of therapy in its own right. These sessions are currently offered by Shingirirai Musunhe and Mary Gray.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

CBT is based upon the theory that thoughts, feelings, what we do and how our body feels are all connected. If we change one of these we can alter the others. When people feel worried or distressed we often fall into patterns of thinking and responding which can worsen how we feel.  CBT works to help us notice and change problematic thinking styles or behaviour patterns so we can feel better. CBT mainly focuses on the 'here and now', rather than focusing on our early life or the past. These sessions are currently offered by Shingirirai Musunhe and Mary Gray.

Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) 

(No Spaces at this time)

CAT is an integrative therapy which draws on psychoanalytic theories to make sense of how we form relationships with ourselves and others, and draws on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) to make sense of how resulting patterns of thinking, feeling and coping can develop and keep someone stuck. Therapy focuses firstly on understanding these patterns and 'mapping' (drawing) them out, and then focuses on identifying 'exits' - new, healthier ways of responding. These sessions are offered by Dr. Balls, but there are limited spaces available.  

Counselling Psychology

(No Spaces at this time)

Counselling Psychology is a branch of Applied Psychology that has humanistic underpinnings and also adheres to the science of psychology. Due to the training approach, we are able to draw upon a variety of theories, approaches, frameworks and therapeutic techniques. These sessions are offered by Dr. Vote, but there are limited spaces available. 

Our Therapists and Counsellors

Currently we have 4 practitioners available providing therapy and counselling sessions. You will be able to register your interest with your practitioner of choice, however all places are available on a first come first serve basis.

Shingirirai Musunhe, Primary Assessor and Counsellor

Shingirirai Musunhe, Primary Assessor and Counsellor

'When two people meet and they can see themselves in the other, all barriers nurtured by conditioning are dissolved. A connection at the deepest level is then possible. The therapeutic relationship strives to be this connection, where there is no judgement or prejudice, only understanding and compassion.' - Shingi Musunhe Read more

Published: 30th March, 2019

Updated: 8th October, 2020

Author: Henry Gray

Dr Makala Balls, Clinical Psychologist

Dr Makala Balls, Clinical Psychologist

''In my work, I do not believe in adopting an expert position, instead, I work alongside people to try and help them understand themselves better and make the changes they want to achieve. I am a firm believer that being open, honest and gently challenging are the vital ingredients of good therapy". Read more

Published: 6th March, 2019

Updated: 18th November, 2020

Author: Heather Cumberland

Dr Birgit Vote, Counselling Psychologist

Dr Birgit Vote, Counselling Psychologist

Due to high demand, Birgit currently has no spaces available. Read more

Published: 3rd March, 2019

Updated: 8th July, 2020

Author: Heather Cumberland

Dr Jack Hawksley, Clinical Psychologist

Dr Jack Hawksley, Clinical Psychologist

We would like to welcome our newest Psychologist to the Wellbeing project! Read more

Published: 1st February, 2019

Updated: 3rd February, 2021

Author: Heather Cumberland

Back to top

Showing 10 of 4

Latest

  • Virtual Kiltwalk 2021

    Virtual Kiltwalk 2021

    Will you take on the challenge this April, in order to raise money for HIV Scotland's work?

  • Join us on the Virtual Kiltwalk in April 2021

    Join us on the Virtual Kiltwalk in April 2021

    Set yourself a challenge this April for the Virtual Kiltwalk and raise money for HIV Scotland.

  • Be Proud - Drew's Guest Blog

    Be Proud - Drew's Guest Blog

    Drew Tallis tells us about their journey coming to terms and living with HIV.

  • NAM shares results of 2020 PrEP Survey

    NAM shares results of 2020 PrEP Survey

    We are pleased that National AIDS Map (NAM) today published some findings from the 2020 PrEP survey we collaborated on with PrEPster, iwantPrEPnow and Public Health England.

Most read

  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) and people living with HIV in Scotland

    Coronavirus (COVID-19) and people living with HIV in Scotland

    We're regularly updating information about COVID-19 (also known as the novel Coronavirus) as we understand that people who live with weakened or compromised immune systems may be experiencing an extra level of anxiety and uncertainty at this time.

  • One Year On - Chief Executive Comment

    One Year On - Chief Executive Comment

    Our Chief Executive, Nathan Sparling, comments on the successes, challenges and what's to come after one year at the top.

  • Consultation on Malicious Disclosure of HIV Status

    Consultation on Malicious Disclosure of HIV Status

    HIV Scotland has launched a consultation to understand the views of people living with and affected by HIV, organisations and legal professionals on whether malicious disclosure of someone's HIV status should be made a hate crime.

  • HIV Scotland comment on data leak from NHS Highland

    HIV Scotland comment on data leak from NHS Highland

    Our Chief Executive, Nathan Sparling, has commented on the news that the personal information of 37 people was leaked in an email by NHS Highland.

  • Election 2019: Addressing Scotland’s Drug Crisis

    Election 2019: Addressing Scotland’s Drug Crisis

    HIV Scotland joined with Waverley Care, the Hepatitis C Trust, Hwupenyu and Terrence Higgins Trust to ask General Election candidates to back drug reform.

  • What is physical distancing?

  • Police to stop labelling people living with HIV

    Police to stop labelling people living with HIV "contagious" on intelligence database

    HIV Scotland uncovered the practice, forcing Police Scotland to conduct a review and announcing a stop to the policy. HIV Scotland welcome the move, but say fundamental questions still remain.

  • New Year, new opportunities

    New Year, new opportunities

    Our Chief Executive, Nathan Sparling, blogs on the opportunities which the new decade offers us in the HIV sector.

  • Remembering Derek Ogg QC

    Remembering Derek Ogg QC

    Our chair, Dr Nicoletta Policek, writes about her memories of Derek Ogg QC - and how he saved her life - ahead of his funeral on Friday 15th May.

  • Sex, Health and Mental Wellbeing during COVID-19 Questionnaire

    Sex, Health and Mental Wellbeing during COVID-19 Questionnaire

    You are invited to take part in an anonymous and confidential survey about the sexual, physical and mental health experiences of people living with HIV and PrEP users during Scotland’s COVID-19 lockdown.

Tag cloud

Basic Facts Donate Fundraiser Jobs LifeCoaching Living Well Living with HIV National Patient Survey NPS Research Sponsored Story Team Testing Treatment

Sign up for our newsletter

Please enter your first name
Please enter your last name
Please enter your email address Please enter a valid email address (e.g. [email protected])

Find us

Registered Office
HIV Scotland
18 York Place
Edinburgh
EH1 3EP

+44 (0)7956456226
[email protected]

Links

  • Sitemap
  • Accessibility
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Complaints

Follow us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

HIV Scotland is a charity registered in Scotland (number SC033951) and a company limited by guarantee (number SC242242).