At Ending Life’s Taboo we offer rapid access to end of life counselling for people aged 18 to 45 and their families.

If you have found us, the chances are that you have been told you have a life limiting illness, or maybe a family member has received this news. 

We are here to help. Our aim is to provide quick access to counselling, giving you the chance to speak freely in a confidential environment about anything that is on your mind. We can help you to explore and understand your emotions, fears and anxieties without judgement and what you say won’t be shared with others. 

This is an optional service, and how little or often you use it is totally up to you.  Currently we have projects running both at Colchester Hospital and Ipswich Hospital and our service is available to anyone living in the area covered by the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust.

Although many people are referred to us by a medical professional or their palliative care team it is possible to self refer (self-referral). 

Once we have received your referral our counsellor will be in touch – that’s just the start of the conversation. We will run through how the counselling works and offer you the chance to make your first appointment. 

You don’t have to say yes! Maybe you don’t feel ready to talk or it’s not a service you need at the moment. That’s absolutely fine. You can always access our service at a later date. 

If you do decide the time is right for you, we will take things at your pace. Sessions tend to take place on a specific day of the week, though the counsellor will be as flexible as possible, and you don’t have to have an appointment every week. 

You can choose where you would like the counselling sessions to take place, too. We can either meet in person at the Wellbeing Centre at Colchester Hospital or John Le Vay Centre at Ipswich Hospital or if you prefer, we can talk over the phone or arrange a video call. Home visits are also possible. 

Sometimes it’s too difficult or painful to talk to family members or those you are close to. Our team can help you share your thoughts and fears openly. 

You may want regular contact, or perhaps you will see us for a time, then take a break before returning. Or maybe you don’t need our support at all right now. We will be here for you when you need us the most – it’s completely up to you. 

We also offer support for family members. Everyone‘s circumstances are different so there may be times when it would be helpful for us to work with you as a family group, or we may be able to help family members access other specific support they need – for example if you have young children, we can link you with the family support worker at the hospital. 

The main Frequently Asked Questions about our terminal illness counselling charity are answered on this website though if there is anything you would like to know more about please do get in touch.

Do you need our help (self-referrals)

Ending Life’s Taboo offers rapid access to terminal illness counselling for young adults aged 18 to 45-years-old.  

Many of the people who use our service will have been referred to us by their doctor or the medical team who are looking after them.  

However, if you feel you need our service you can also self-refer, so long as you live within the area covered by the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust. This covers postcodes in North Essex and Suffolk. 

To self-refer, please fill in the form below and we will reply as soon as possible,

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