Hope House Counselling Centre - Table View

Hope House Counselling Centre has been a quiet but consistent source of support and healing in Cape Town since 2004, when founder Judy Strickland — a trained lay counsellor — began counselling from her home in Lakeside with the vision that no one should be denied support because they cannot afford it. Twenty years later, Hope House has grown to three centres across Cape Town, approximately 60 volunteer lay counsellors, and programmes reaching schools and communities across the city.

They are a Christian non-profit organisation — but they passionately welcome people of all races, religions, and cultures. Mental health at Hope House is understood as a human right, not a privilege. All counselling is donation-based: you pay what you can afford (including nothing), and no one is turned away for financial reasons.

They are one of the very few Cape Town organisations that offers counselling to children as young as three years old.

What They Offer Survivors

Donation-Based Individual Counselling — All Ages One-on-one counselling is available at all three centres for anyone from age 3 upward. Sessions are confidential, empathic, and use a person-centred approach — meaning the counsellor follows your lead rather than imposing a fixed agenda. Hope House's counsellors do not diagnose or assess; they provide guidance, support, and a genuinely safe space. You pay what you can.

GBV Support for Women in Khayelitsha Communities Hope House works directly with courts, police stations, and the Department of Social Development in the Khayelitsha area, receiving referrals for individual counselling and empowerment workshops for women and children affected by GBV. This makes them an active and accessible resource for survivors in township communities, complementing the work of frontline GBV organisations.

Family Counselling Counselling is available for families navigating difficult challenges together — including the aftermath of abuse, violence, or loss.

Workshops Tailored to Your Needs Hope House runs workshops on a wide range of topics, including: - Self-care and trauma - Trauma-informed support - Play therapy - Parenting - Peer mentoring - Substance awareness - Emotional regulation, anxiety, stress, and bullying (for schools)

These workshops are available for community groups, companies, schools, and organisations.

School Programmes — Youth Outreach Hope House runs addiction prevention and intervention programmes in 16 Cape Town schools, as well as broader life skills and mental health workshops for learners at critical stages of development. Their school-based work addresses anxiety, substance use, peer pressure, sexual health, and emotional resilience.

Substance Abuse Outpatient Programme (Kuilsrivier) A 16-week outpatient substance abuse treatment programme runs at the Kuilsrivier centre — providing structured, community-based rehabilitation support without the need for residential admission. A family support group for loved ones of people in active addiction is also available.

Counsellor Training and Psychosocial Intervention Courses Hope House provides training for lay counsellors and students completing practical components of social work, counselling, or psychology qualifications — actively building the capacity of mental health workers across Cape Town.

Hope House counselling is donation-based — you pay what you can, and no one is turned away for not being able to pay. Centres in Bergvliet, Kuilsrivier, and Blaauwberg. Contact them via www.hopehouse.org.za.