About Breathing Space

Meet The Team

Standing in the Gap for Mental Health Support

Breathing Space was founded when Joan Carter, the Lead Counsellor in a large GP practice for
over 20 years, responded to a calling to “stand in the gap”. Joan was passionate about supporting
the local medical practice, and providing a free, easily accessible mental health service.

Working alongside Latham House, Joan set up a referral system to establish Breathing Space for
the catchment area of Melton Mowbray. She trained our first 12 volunteers in professional
counselling skills. In 2018, Breathing Space came into being! Volunteers began working from
various town centre locations, supported by Melton Vineyard who also run Storehouse, the local
food bank.

Growing Stronger, Committed to Excellence

Seven years on, Breathing Space has grown into a trusted and valued service in the community. We now operate from the Hope Centre in Melton Mowbray, with a dedicated team of:

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23 trained volunteer listeners

10 professional counsellors

A committed core team providing administrative and clinical leadership

Our volunteers receive regular training and professional support, ensuring we continue to deliver a high-quality service rooted in care, ethics, and effectiveness.

Our vision

To inspire hope, and empower adults in our community, to flourish as whole people, in every dimension of their lives.

Navigate difficult life experiences
Reconnect with their strengths and values
Build healthier relationships -with themselves and others
Move forward with confidence and clarity
How we help people

Our Mission

We work to offer effective, compassionate mental health support service. We provide an open, warm, welcoming, safe and non-judgmental environment for individuals to experience the possibility of hope, healing and the ability to thrive.

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What We’re committed to

Our Values

  • Respecting human rights and dignity
  • Alleviating symptoms of personal distress and suffering
  • Enhancing people’s well being and capabilities
  • Improving the quality of relationships between people
  • Increasing personal resilience and e effectiveness
  • Facilitating a sense of self that is meaningful to the person(s) concerned within their personal
    and cultural context
  • Appreciating the variety of human experience and culture
  • Protecting the safety of clients
  • Ensuring the integrity of practitioner-client relationships
  • Enhancing the quality of professional knowledge and its application
Passion At The Core

Meet The Team

Joan

Clinical Director
Joan is the visionary founder of Breathing Space, bringing over 20 years of experience as Lead Counsellor in a GP practice and 14 years as a counsellor trainer. Her clinical expertise and compassionate leadership guide the team, ensuring our counselling and listening services remain ethical, safe, and impactful.

Sue

Communications Manager
Sue keeps the heart of Breathing Space beating smoothly. , ensuring everything runs seamlessly. She makes sure clients can easily access the information they need and manages our appointments system with care and efficiency. From initial assessment to final sessions, Sue supports both our team and our clients every step of the way.

Dawn

Administrative Manager
Dawn ensures our policies and procedures are administered with integrity, promoting ethical practice across the organisation. She supports the referral process and manages our social media presence. As a qualified counsellor, Dawn also contributes to clinical matters deputising for the clinical director and offering consultative support to our listeners.

Breathe Again

If you could benefit from a safe space to talk, we’re here to listen. Get in touch today and take the first step toward hope and healing.

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