The Centre was founded in 1960 in what was then the Jackson's Lane Methodist Church, Archway Road, London N6. The work was begun by the Rev William Kyle, then minister of that and another local Methodist Church, and was seen by him as an outreach programme for people in need. He was aware of the need for a more specialiased pastoral service which took account of the knowledge and skills that came from the disciplines of psychology and psychotherapy.
The first counselling unit was a small room in Jackson's Lane Church, plus a larger 'lounge' type of hall. Professional therapists were involved from the beginning - notably the late Dr. Henrietta Meyer, a Swiss Jungian analytical psychologist - and participation in the Centre's work was not confined to Christians. The uniting basis has always been the 'spiritual dimension'.
After leaving Jackson's Lane, the Centre took up residence in the Junction Road Church (now closed) in Upper Holloway, with satellite counselling rooms in several other local churches. The Centre subsequently rented more suitable rooms in Tetherdown Child Guidance Centre. That the Centre survived this nomadic existence bears testimony to the commitment of its staff and to the inspiration of the Rev Dr Denis Duncan, who was the Centre's Chairman from 1971 to 1986 and its Director from 1974 to 1984.
In 1979 Sir Hugh Rossi, MP, opened the new premises in Tetherdown Halls in Muswell Hill where the Centre remains to this day.
Over the period of its existence the Centre has created and upheld a professional standard in its work. This has been particularly expressed in supervision, which from the outset was seen as an essential part of counselling work; all counsellors working in the Centre today must be in supervision groups. The need for self-awareness was underlined too from the start, and initially every counsellor had to participate in an 'analytic group' as part of their involvement.
From 1966 to 1984 the Centre carried out its work within the framework of the Highgate Counselling Trust. In 1984 the Trust was converted into a company limited by guarantee, and the former Trustees became members of the company's governing body, the Council of Management. The change was brought about as a result of the enormous growth in the budget of the Centre and the need to relieve the Trustees of the personal financial liability which they were shouldering.
Highgate Counselling Centre looks forward to continuing its evolution, responding to the current needs of its client population and incorporating developments in the counselling and psychotherapy fields. At the same time, it will remain true to the inspiration of its founder and its own particular ethos of providing counselling to those who need it, irrespective of their ability to pay, from within a close-knit and supportive network of human relationships in the Centre itself.