Job Description

Residential Counsellor (Female)

The Nelson Trust is a leading charity supporting people affected by addiction, trauma and multiple disadvantages.

As a Residential Counsellor, you will play a vital role in supporting clients through their therapeutic journey within our residential treatment service. Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, you will provide one-to-one addiction counselling, facilitate group therapy sessions and help clients develop the skills, resilience and recovery capital needed to achieve lasting change.

Salary £29,000 per annum
Hours 35 hours per week (flexibility required as needed)
Location Brimscombe, Stroud

What will you do?

• Provide one-to-one therapeutic counselling and support clients throughout their recovery journey
• Deliver weekly interpersonal group therapy sessions and therapeutic interventions
• Develop, review and update person-centred care plans and risk management plans
• Work closely with clinical colleagues, families, referrers and partner organisations to support positive treatment outcomes
• Conduct assessments, support client engagement with treatment programmes and contribute to recovery-focused planning
• Maintain accurate records, contribute to reporting requirements and uphold safeguarding and professional standards

What we are looking for

• Level 4 or above counselling qualification
• Full UK driving licence and access to a car
• Experience building effective therapeutic relationships and supporting people with complex needs
• Experience delivering evidence-based group interventions, including interpersonal group therapy
• Knowledge of risk assessment, safeguarding, professional boundaries and ethical practice
• Strong communication, organisation and IT skills with excellent attention to detail
• An empathetic, non-judgemental approach and a commitment to supporting individuals in recovery

What we offer

• Holidays 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata), increasing by 1 day for each year of service up to a maximum of 30 days
• Pension 6% employer contribution
• Investment in your development through training, supervision and career pathways
• Access to wellbeing and employee assistance support
• Death in service benefit (2x salary)
• Refer a Friend scheme
• Blue Light Card discounts
• Eye care scheme
• Cycle to Work scheme

Closing date: 21st August 2026

Due to the nature of the work carried out in our Women’s Centres this role is restricted to female applicants only in accordance with the provisions of the occupational requirement (Equality Act 2010, pursuant to Schedule 9, Part 1).

The Nelson Trust is committed to safeguarding, the successful applicant will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check.

We have become known for the quality of our work and ability to provide bespoke care and support services.  While we are proud of our achievements so far, we are ambitious and want to continue to grow and diversify our workforce.

We recognise that employees from different backgrounds bring unique knowledge, perspectives and experiences and we are committed to increasing the diversity of our workforce and welcome applications from individuals across all sectors of society.

This is an opportunity for new, challenging and highly rewarding experiences. Our staff make a real difference to people’s lives and in return for your commitment and enthusiasm, we offer a comprehensive training and development programme a generous pension scheme and a positive working environment.