Counseling

headspace is, simply put, someone to talk to

Nothing is too big or too small, and the counselling is free, anonymous and non-binding for all young people aged 12–25. There’s no waiting time, and everything happens on your terms.

At headspace, you can talk about anything. Nothing is wrong, and we’re here to listen and talk about exactly what’s on your mind.

What is a conversation at headspace?

At headspace, you can share anything that’s on your mind.

We welcome young people with a wide range of problems and questions. That’s why our youth counsellors receive thorough training in listening and talking according to headspace’s approach.

We share a common professional foundation and a method that we use when providing counselling.

This is how we ensure that we meet young people in the same way, whether you visit headspace in Hjørring or Hvidovre.

We meet you with respect and understanding…

…and we provide counselling based on a humanistic and appreciative view of people — where we listen without judgment and see you for who you are, with your own feelings and experiences.

Come as often as you like.

There are no limits to how many times or how often you can have a session at headspace.

Come alone or bring a friend.

It’s completely okay to bring a friend, sister, mum, neighbour — or anyone in between — with you to headspace. It also doesn’t matter if you’ve seen a psychologist before, are currently seeing one, or are getting help somewhere else. EVERYONE is welcome.

HEADSPACE CONVERSATION MODEL

At headspace, all counselling sessions follow the same model, which ensures the best possible conversation with a focus on establishing contact, identifying the young person’s challenges, and thereby getting closer to the young person’s opportunities for creating change.

Establishing contact

We establish a good connection in a conversation by showing the young person that we understand their situation, concerns and thoughts — and that we acknowledge them. 

We do that through: 

At headspace you remain anonymous — whether you chat, text, or visit a centre. We don’t need your full name, address, or school — what matters most is that you share your thoughts with us. 

We are bound by confidentiality, so everything you share stays between us. Your story will never be shared with anyone outside headspace. 

We set the framework for the conversation — we explain who we are and what we can help with. We also let them know that there are always two youth counsellors present, so we can offer more perspectives on what we hear.

The process of establishing contact is about guiding the conversation when needed. You could say that we ‘drive the car’, but the young person decides where we’re going. 

We use techniques such as metacommunication — that is, talking about the conversation itself. For example, at the beginning we might ask, “Where do we want to go today?” During the conversation, we might check in by asking, “Are we on the right track?” And at the end, metacommunication gives us a chance to ask how the journey felt. 

As counsellors, we also learn how to use mirroring — that is, reflecting back what we hear in the conversation and telling the young person how we understand it. 

Exploration

In the exploration phase of the conversation, we get to know the young person and their challenges. Sometimes, the young person doesn’t know exactly why they’ve come or what’s bothering them, but we gain insight into the different contexts they’re part of. Finally, the exploration gives the young person an opportunity to say things out loud — and we make sure to see, hear, and understand them. 

We do that through: 

We explore by seeking to understand the young person’s perspective. We acknowledge that the young person is the expert in their own life. We stay curious and conduct the conversation on their terms. In other words, we meet them where they are — and we park our own preconceptions and listen actively. We use the young person’s own language.

We explore the different areas of the young person’s life — for example, work, friends, family, school, free time, and interests. By asking about the various contexts they’re part of, we gather valuable information that helps us understand the young person’s wellbeing or possible challenges.

CHANGE

The young people who come to headspace often have a wish for change. The goal of our counselling is to help each young person think about their situation in new and different ways. 

It focuses on: 

We understand change in a very broad sense. For some, simply telling someone else that they’re struggling can be a big change. Change can also be very small — and take time. One thing is certain: change begins in the conversation, but it has to be lived out between conversations, in the young person’s everyday life.

We help the young person notice and put words to their strengths and experiences of success. Through this, we support them in beginning to make changes in their life — no matter what they come to headspace with.

headspace is not a treatment service but a counselling space. We know that, most of the time, good conversations are enough — but in about one out of seven counselling processes, there’s a need for us to build a bridge to other services. This might be to other volunteer organisations, treatment services, or more specialised forms of support. 

When we build a bridge to other services, you may need to give up your anonymity. This is to make sure you get the right kind of help — and it only happens with your consent. 

At headspace you remain anonymous — whether you chat, text, or visit a centre. We don’t need your full name, address, or school — what matters most is that you share your thoughts with us. 

We are bound by confidentiality, so everything you share stays between us. Your story will never be shared with anyone outside headspace. 

At headspace, you’ll meet volunteer youth counsellors who are passionate about making a difference. They come from a different backgrounds and bring both personal and professional skills — and all of them have completed a specialised counselling training programme. 

The youth counsellors are here to listen and support you with whatever you need to talk about. They help you move forward by asking the right questions and guiding you to find your own answers. We believe that you are the one who knows what’s best for you. 

If you’re under 18 and tell us something that makes us concerned, we have a duty to inform the local authorities. This could be in cases of violence, suicidal thoughts, or neglect. 

We do this to make sure you get the help you need. You’ll always be informed and supported throughout the entire process. 

ACCREDITATION OF HEADSPACE DENMARK

At headspace, we’re constantly working to improve what we do. That’s why we’ve gone through an accreditation process that focuses specifically on the quality of our services. 

headspaces face-to-face-councelling has been accrediteted by Rådgivnings Danmark, and that means our counselling service has been through a quality assessment to ensure that it meets a set of common standards for counselling services. 

The accreditation is a mark of quality for our counselling work at headspace — and at the same time, it’s a great recognition and a huge pat on the back for our youth counsellors, both paid and volunteer, as well as our municipal and regional staff. Together, they all do their very best every day to make sure that young people feel seen, supported, and guided in the right direction. 

This mark of quality means that both young people and our partners can trust that we provide the kind of counselling we say we do.

Read more about Rådgivnings Danmark's accreditation here