organisational consultancy
Creating organisations that thrive
Healthy organisations don’t happen by accident. They are created through thoughtful leadership, strong relationships, and a culture that truly supports the people within it. Our consultancy work helps organisations build environments where staff feel valued, communication is open, and wellbeing is prioritised. We help organisations become more resilient, sustainable and secure for the future.
We understand the reality facing counselling organisations today. Grant funding is increasingly competitive and uncertain, while demand for services can be unpredictable.
For many organisations, long-term survival now depends on diversifying income, strengthening leadership and governance, and building robust organisational structures, all without compromising clinical integrity.
We work primarily with counselling charities, therapy services, and organisations delivering mental health support.
What makes Thrive different
What makes Thrive different is simple: we are not generic consultants. Our expertise is niche, shaped by direct experience. Between us, we bring over two decades of senior leadership experience in running and growing a counselling charity, alongside being clinically trained, BACP-accredited therapists. We have lived and breathed the tension between clinical priorities and financial realities and understand how conflicting these pressures can feel. Our focus is on helping organisations find, and sustain, the space where both can be held.
We understand the nuances of clinical environments, ethical responsibilities, volunteer-led services and professional standards. This insight allows us to offer practical, credible and sensitive support that is grounded in real-world experience rather than theory.
Alongside our clinical and charity leadership work, we each bring professional expertise beyond the therapy room. Louise’s early career in investment banking, before moving into the charity counselling sector in 2004, brings financial literacy, analytical insight, and strategic thinking. Her more recent experience serving on boards further deepens her understanding of governance, bringing additional insight into the realities faced by organisational leaders.
Julia brings senior leadership, corporate management, and financial expertise from a career spanning media, events, and organisational management. She combines this with a strategic and analytical perspective, helping organisations navigate complex systems, make informed decisions, and align operational priorities with long-term goals.
Together, this combination means we understand not only the clinical and ethical dimensions of counselling services, but also the operational, financial, and strategic realities that determine whether an organisation can truly thrive.
Our track record
Over our 20 years of working within a well-established counselling charity, we held roles including Head of Counselling, Head of Training, CPD Manager, and ultimately Co-Directors. Between us, we have seen every side of how such an organisation operates: clinically, operationally, financially, strategically, and organisationally.
In this time, we:
- Grew turnover from £85k in 2016 to over £500k by 2026
- Expanded the training programme from 12 Certificate (Level 3) trainees and 8 Diploma (Level 5) trainees to 45 on each course
- Developed a strong and sustainable CPD programme
- Launched targeted campaigns supporting at-risk groups, including men at risk of suicide
- Digitalised the Service and implemented a new CRM system
- Secured emergency finance and ensured organisational stability during the Covid period
- Oversaw expansion into additional premises as the organisation grew
These achievements now shape the support we offer to others.
Our approach: balancing clinical integrity with organisational sustainability
We understand that counselling charities are not like other organisations. Decisions about funding, staffing, policies or growth can have direct clinical and ethical implications, and must be made with an understanding of risk, safeguarding, professional boundaries and organisational culture. We offer a calm, reflective space for teams and leaders to pause, think, and move forward with clarity.
Our approach is:
- Clinically informed – grounded in professional standards, ethics and good clinical governance
- Pragmatic and proportionate – focused on what will genuinely make a difference
- Collaborative – bringing people with you rather than imposing solutions
- Respectful of culture and values – particularly in volunteer-led and mixed-workforce environments
We have extensive experience of managing change in sensitive clinical settings, including working with trainee and qualified counsellors, supervisors, volunteers and trustees. We understand how easily trust can be damaged if change is rushed or poorly communicated, and how powerful it can be when people feel involved and understood.
Clients value our approach because:
- We bring two minds working collaboratively, offering perspectives one consultant alone can’t provide.
- We work efficiently and proactively, with the capacity to progress work quickly.
- We understand the pressure points because we’ve filled the gaps ourselves.
- We uphold clinical excellence, ensuring decisions are aligned with ethical and professional standards.
- We care deeply about the people who make the organisation function, not just the systems.
Our areas of support
We recognise that every counselling charity is unique, with its own size, context, culture, values, challenges, and priorities. This means the support we provide is always tailored to your organisation, ensuring it is practical, clinically informed, and aligned with your needs. Whether you need short-term input, a focused review, or longer-term strategic support, we work flexibly and collaboratively. The areas of support outlined below are examples rather than prescriptions, and all of our work is bespoke.
Working together
We work with counselling organisations across the UK, combining on-site visits with remote support, as appropriate.
If you would like to understand more about how we could support your organisation, please complete the contact form below. We will then be in touch to arrange an initial exploratory conversation to discuss your context and how we could work together.
Fees
Due to the bespoke nature of our work, all fees are tailored to your specific project. We are committed to transparency and fairness in the way we work. All fees are agreed in advance and are scaled proportionately to organisational size, income, and complexity. Where appropriate, we are happy to discuss phased approaches or prioritisation to ensure support remains accessible while fully meeting your organisation’s needs.