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Who we are
Care To Listen is a well-established, not-for-profit counselling service providing affordable therapy in Croydon and South East London, including Sutton, Purley, and surrounding areas. Since 2007, we have been committed to supporting our local community with accessible, low-cost counselling services designed to meet a wide range of mental health needs.
Founded with the aim of making counselling available to everyone, Care To Listen has grown into a trusted community-based organisation, offering support to individuals and couples from all backgrounds. Our service is rooted in the belief that everyone deserves a safe space to be heard, regardless of their financial situation or personal circumstances.
Our Values & Approach
At the heart of Care To Listen is a commitment to providing professional, ethical, and compassionate counselling. As an organisational member of the BACP, we work within recognised ethical frameworks to ensure the highest standards of care and client confidentiality.
We offer an integrative approach to therapy, combining techniques from a range of evidence-based models, including person-centred, psychodynamic, and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). This allows us to tailor our support to each individual, helping clients explore their thoughts and feelings, better understand their experiences, and work towards meaningful, lasting change.
As a service created and shaped by counsellors, we are passionate about both supporting clients and developing the next generation of therapists. Through our counselling services and training opportunities, we continue to build a strong, skilled, and compassionate community dedicated to improving mental health and wellbeing across South London.
Meet the team
SHARON THOMAS
CLINICAL SERVICE DIRECTOR | CEO
Sharon is a co-founder of Care To Listen and Clinical Service Director, responsible for overseeing all clinical matters and providing first-hand support to the large team of counsellors. Sharon is a qualified EMDR therapist and Supervisor, holds a Higher National Diploma in Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy, and is BACP Accredited.
VANESSA ONYUKU-OPUKIRI
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME MANAGER
As Educational Programme Manger, Vanessa is responsible for the development of Care To Listen School of Counselling. Vanessa has been with Care To Listen since 2013 and has progressed through the organisation to her current role. She is a very experienced and highly skilled BACP accredited counsellor who also works as one of our group supervisors. Vanessa graduated from Greenwich University with a MSc in Therapeutic counselling in 2015.
NICOLA COOPER
HUMAN RESOURCES AND OPERATIONS MANAGER
Nicola joined us in 2020 to provide invaluable Human Resources and Operations services having previously worked in Executive creative roles. She wanted to learn more about mental health and how it impacts us all. She advises and manages Care To Listen’s recruitment processes, employee relations and our busy placement programme as well as working on Operation services for our practice. Nicola is currently in training on her Level 4 Therapeutic Counselling Diploma.
KIM MAN
CLINICAL MANAGER
Kim Man is our Clinical Manager having joined Care To Listen when training as a counsellor, she also worked on our Admin team for many years so she has extensive knowledge of how we operate. With years of hands-on experience across the service, Kim has a great understanding of both client support and day-to-day operations. Kim now manages our team of counsellors, deals with safeguarding concerns and manages our MECs programme, helping to make sure the service runs smoothly and that clients receive the best possible support.
Ethical Framework
Care To Listen is an organisational member of the BACP and are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions.
Care To Listen publish an Annual Report as a means of sharing information about our services, development plans and future intentions.
A copy can be downloaded here. CTL Annual Report 2024.
Our Mission
Care To Listen is a community-focused counselling charity based in Croydon, dedicated to improving the mental health and emotional wellbeing of residents.
We provide low cost, accessible and compassionate counselling for individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, bereavement, trauma, relationship difficulties, stress, and other emotional challenges.
Our mission is to ensure that everyone has access to professional mental health support regardless of their financial circumstances, background, or personal circumstances.
We are committed to:
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Providing affordable and accessible counselling services to residents.
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Reducing the stigma surrounding mental health and encouraging early intervention.
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Creating an inclusive environment that supports people from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds.
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Supporting neurodiverse clients, including individuals with ADHD, autism, and related needs, through understanding, tailored therapeutic approaches, and accessible support.
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Helping address the growing gap in mental health and neurodiversity services where statutory and government resources are often overstretched or limited.
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Working collaboratively with local organisations and community partners to improve wellbeing across the borough.
As demand for mental health support continues to rise, Care To Listen provides an essential service to the local community.
With continued funding, we can widen access to counselling, shorten waiting times, and deliver early intervention for people who might otherwise struggle to get the help they need.
Our Projects
These projects demonstrate Care To Listen’s ongoing dedication to supporting vulnerable residents. For eight years, Care To Listen successfully delivered the Croydon Talking Therapies service in partnership with South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, providing counselling and therapeutic support to clients referred through NHS pathways across South London.
Through this long-standing partnership, we supported individuals experiencing a wide range of mental health difficulties, including anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, and emotional distress. Our service professional therapy to help clients improve their wellbeing and develop long-term coping strategies. The project demonstrated our ability to work collaboratively with NHS services, manage referrals effectively, and deliver high-quality mental health support.
Through our Counselling in the Community project, Care To Listen worked in partnership with the London Borough of Croydon to provide accessible mental health support for residents who do not speak English as a first language. Funding from the council enabled us to deliver counselling services to asylum seekers, refugees, and other displaced or vulnerable residents who often face significant barriers to accessing mainstream mental health support.
A key part of the project was delivering therapy in the client’s first language through a diverse roster of bilingual counsellors. This enabled clients to engage more confidently in therapy, helping to reduce language barriers and improve emotional understanding, trust, and therapeutic outcomes.
The project focused on creating culturally sensitive and inclusive therapeutic services that recognised the complex emotional challenges associated with their background.
As part of the project, we also worked closely with the Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Project in Croydon and other like-minded organisations, supporting individuals and families affected by long-term health conditions alongside emotional and mental health challenges. This collaborative approach strengthened community wellbeing and improved access to vital support services for underserved groups within the borough.
Our Trustees
Vanessa Blythe
As well as the Chair of Trustees for Care To Listen, Vanessa Blythe is the founder and director of Peace of Mind Services, a professional will writer and estate planning firm based in Croydon.
As an Estate Planner Vanessa works with individuals and families to discuss and plan ahead for the expected and unexpected events in life, in order to put their house in order, providing protection for family, loved ones, and home.
Vanessa is a compassionate and dedicated professional with a strong background in communications and client services who provides clear, concise assistance to individuals and families at all stages of the life cycle.
Vanessa loves music, singing, reading and being with family and friends.
Lisa Moynihan
Lisa is an Accredited Counsellor and Psychotherapist who has been working in Private Practice since 2015. Before moving into therapeutic work, Lisa spent 20 years in Blue Chip organisations such as Diageo and NatWest, gaining extensive experience across Human Resources, Strategy and Change Management. Throughout her career, a consistent focus has been coaching and supporting people through periods of change, both organisationally and personally.
Lisa has been involved with Care To Listen since 2013, initially joining as a volunteer trainee counsellor. From 2015, she served on the management board, contributing to recruitment and operational matters, and in 2025 she became a member of the Board of Trustees.
Nicole Small
With over two decades of experience in youth justice, Nicole is a qualified probation officer and BACP‑registered counsellor who brings together frontline insight, compassionate practice, and strategic leadership. Her career spans youth justice, health regulation, and education, where she has built a reputation for driving quality, empowering teams, and delivering meaningful outcomes.
Nicole blends people‑centred support with a sharp eye for governance, assurance, and improvement. As a trustee for Care to listen charity, she provides strategic oversight and champions accessible, high‑quality therapeutic services. She also brings her energy to volunteering, contributing to community wellbeing initiatives (especially those involving dogs, which she firmly believes improve absolutely everything).
Whether she’s leading operational change, strengthening regulatory standards, or helping organisations deliver their best work, Nicole combines professionalism with warmth, humour, and a passion for creating environments where people can thrive.
Danny Monfries
Danny has been operating a children’s home in Croydon for the past five years, supporting children with social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties. This work is grounded in a deep understanding of trauma-informed practice, safeguarding, and positive behaviour support, alongside close collaboration with local authorities and multi-agency partners to achieve the best outcomes for young people with complex needs.
Danny’s professional background spans over two decades working in specialist education settings across inner and outer London, including senior leadership roles within well-regarded SEN schools. His experience includes managing multi-site provision, leading staff teams, and developing high-quality care and support frameworks that prioritise nurture, stability, and long-term development.
As a Trustee of Care to Listen, Danny is passionate about ensuring that accessible, ethical, and effective counselling services are available to those who need them most, and he is committed to supporting the charity’s mission through strong governance, strategic insight, and a values-led approach to care.
Our Charity Policies & Reports
At Care To Listen, we believe in being open, responsible, and professional in everything we do. As a community charity providing counselling and mental health support, we take our responsibilities seriously and work to ensure our services are safe, ethical, and supportive.
In this section you’ll find important information about how our charity is run, including our annual reports, policies, safeguarding procedures, privacy information, and other key statements. These documents help explain the standards we work to and our commitment to providing trusted support within the community.
We regularly review our policies and procedures to make sure they remain up to date, reflect best practice, and continue to meet the needs of the people we support.