A new counselling service aimed at men living without children could soon be set to launch across Stockport. 

'Somebody's Dad' was set up by Neil Gaw, a practicing counsellor with experience of helping men who have suffered the loss of a child, or who are living without their children due to custody issues. 

As it stands, Neil is looking to measure potential demand for the Somebody's Dad service, and raise as much money as possible to get it off the ground.

"There can be a lot of mental health issues for men who can't see their children", Neil said. 

"It's just about being there for them through that period, and easing their pain. It's one of the worst things that can happen for men.

"One of the things I've noticed when I've been training as a counsellor is that it's really hard to get men to come to counselling. I still feel like there is a stigma involved in it. 

"Men represent a very small proportion of people coming to counselling. What I'm trying to do is to encourage men to come to talk about their issues."

Neil has set up a survey to measure support for the new scheme. You can find a link near the end of the article (Image - Neil Gaw)

With Neil's service, there is an emphasis on getting outdoors, rather than conventional 'room' counselling.

This can be more conductive to conversation, is healthy, and goes some way to putting one's problems in perspective. 

Still, 'traditional' methods of therapy are also available, including phone and / or video calls.

Somebody's Dad aims to be a free service, aimed at any man with an SK postcode who feels himself struggling with a life without children. 

To help measure potential interest - and to make applying for grant funding easier - Neil has set up a survey. Anybody who may be interested is encouraged to take a few minutes to contribute. 

You can find the survey HERE. Click the centre of the webpage to start.

For more general mental health assistance, you can find more information on Neil's services on his website HERE. 

Neil says of counselling: "[It] gave me the tools I needed to deal with the stresses and problems I faced in my daily life. It helped me to find out what was important to me and who I really was deep down. Then, I was able to find ways to express my identity and live more authentically."

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