Listening Talk Service (Coming Later in 2026)
We are currently developing our Listening Talk Service, which will offer a safe and welcoming space for anyone who simply needs to talk and be heard.
Sometimes, what we need most is not advice or solutions, but the opportunity to share what’s on our heart with someone who will listen with care, respect, and understanding. This service is designed as a gentle first step.
We plan to offer one-hour sessions, with up to two sessions available, giving you space to pause, reflect, and begin to make sense of what you may be experiencing.
Please note, this will not be counselling or therapy, but a supportive listening space where you can speak freely without judgement or pressure.
Where appropriate, we will also help you consider whether further support may be helpful. If you would benefit from more specialised input, such as counselling or therapeutic support, we can gently guide you towards the next steps at your own pace.
At Personal Bridge, we believe that being truly heard is often the beginning of healing.
We are currently developing our Listening Talk Service, which will offer a safe and welcoming space for anyone who simply needs to talk and be heard.
Sometimes, what we need most is not advice or solutions, but the opportunity to share what’s on our heart with someone who will listen with care, respect, and understanding. This service is designed as a gentle first step.
We plan to offer one-hour sessions, with up to two sessions available, giving you space to pause, reflect, and begin to make sense of what you may be experiencing.
Please note, this will not be counselling or therapy, but a supportive listening space where you can speak freely without judgement or pressure.
Where appropriate, we will also help you consider whether further support may be helpful. If you would benefit from more specialised input, such as counselling or therapeutic support, we can gently guide you towards the next steps at your own pace.
At Personal Bridge, we believe that being truly heard is often the beginning of healing.
Lynne Phillips - Duncan (Talk Service Listener)
Hello, I’m Lynne, a qualified counsellor working here at Personal Bridge and also with another local Counselling Agency (WWCA). I am a member of the registered bodies BACP and ACC. I hold a DipHE in Counselling and a Diploma in Porn and Sex Addiction Counselling, I also hold a certificate in Adoption. I work from an integrative approach, drawing on different therapeutic methods to suit each person’s unique needs and story.
Before becoming a counsellor, I was the co founder of Personal Bridge Charity in 2012 which was set up to help disadvantaged individuals and communities, prior to that I worked in Leeds with Charities such as Teen Challenge, New Hope and The Joanna Project I spent over 20 years as a support worker, working alongside people facing homelessness, drug and alcohol addiction, and prostitution. These experiences shaped my heart for people and gave me a deep understanding of both the challenges of life and the resilience it takes to overcome them.
Alongside my professional training, I bring lived experience. I am autistic and ADHD, and a parent of three neurodivergent children. This gives me not only empathy and patience, but also a deep respect for difference, individuality, and resilience.
I am passionate about walking alongside people and supporting them to find freedom from addiction, shame, past hurts, and unhelpful patterns. I believe that counselling can be a safe and supportive space where you are truly seen, heard, and accepted, and where healing, growth, and lasting change become possible.
Hello, I’m Lynne, a qualified counsellor working here at Personal Bridge and also with another local Counselling Agency (WWCA). I am a member of the registered bodies BACP and ACC. I hold a DipHE in Counselling and a Diploma in Porn and Sex Addiction Counselling, I also hold a certificate in Adoption. I work from an integrative approach, drawing on different therapeutic methods to suit each person’s unique needs and story.
Before becoming a counsellor, I was the co founder of Personal Bridge Charity in 2012 which was set up to help disadvantaged individuals and communities, prior to that I worked in Leeds with Charities such as Teen Challenge, New Hope and The Joanna Project I spent over 20 years as a support worker, working alongside people facing homelessness, drug and alcohol addiction, and prostitution. These experiences shaped my heart for people and gave me a deep understanding of both the challenges of life and the resilience it takes to overcome them.
Alongside my professional training, I bring lived experience. I am autistic and ADHD, and a parent of three neurodivergent children. This gives me not only empathy and patience, but also a deep respect for difference, individuality, and resilience.
I am passionate about walking alongside people and supporting them to find freedom from addiction, shame, past hurts, and unhelpful patterns. I believe that counselling can be a safe and supportive space where you are truly seen, heard, and accepted, and where healing, growth, and lasting change become possible.
Anita Gray (Talk Service Listener)
Hi my name is Anita, I am here to offer a listening service, I am a trustee of Personal Bridge and I am excited about the services that are now on offer.
I have a certificate in Christian Counselling and I have many years experience as a Foster Carer, and
Special Guardian both grade 3. This gives me an enormous insight into the hurdles and that both the Foster Carer and the Foster Children face.
My training in the Fostering Sector is invaluable and includes many different aspects such as Counselling, Sexual Abuse, trauma and loss, safeguarding, and managing challenging behaviour which are just a few.
I am here to listen and offer empathy to anyone who feels a need to sit and talk and offer encouragement to them.
Hi my name is Anita, I am here to offer a listening service, I am a trustee of Personal Bridge and I am excited about the services that are now on offer.
I have a certificate in Christian Counselling and I have many years experience as a Foster Carer, and
Special Guardian both grade 3. This gives me an enormous insight into the hurdles and that both the Foster Carer and the Foster Children face.
My training in the Fostering Sector is invaluable and includes many different aspects such as Counselling, Sexual Abuse, trauma and loss, safeguarding, and managing challenging behaviour which are just a few.
I am here to listen and offer empathy to anyone who feels a need to sit and talk and offer encouragement to them.
Deborah Duncan (Talk Service Listener)
Hello, I’m Deborah, and I’m happy to be a volunteer listener here at Personal Bridge. I have completed my Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills and will be starting Level 3 later this year as I continue my journey toward qualifying as a therapist. My long-term goal is to complete a diploma and work professionally with both adults and adolescents.
I am autistic and have ADHD, which gives me personal insight into some of the sensory, social, and physical challenges that neuro divergent individuals may experience. I understand how important it is to feel heard, accepted, and supported without judgment.
As a listener, I aim to offer a calm, compassionate, and safe space where you can talk openly and feel truly listened to. I believe that everyone’s experiences are valid, and I am here to support you in a way that respects your individuality and unique journey.
Hello, I’m Deborah, and I’m happy to be a volunteer listener here at Personal Bridge. I have completed my Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills and will be starting Level 3 later this year as I continue my journey toward qualifying as a therapist. My long-term goal is to complete a diploma and work professionally with both adults and adolescents.
I am autistic and have ADHD, which gives me personal insight into some of the sensory, social, and physical challenges that neuro divergent individuals may experience. I understand how important it is to feel heard, accepted, and supported without judgment.
As a listener, I aim to offer a calm, compassionate, and safe space where you can talk openly and feel truly listened to. I believe that everyone’s experiences are valid, and I am here to support you in a way that respects your individuality and unique journey.
David Hawkins (Talk Service Listener)
Hello, I'm David, with over 35+ years of lived experience of navigating addiction and the justice system, I bring a raw, unfiltered understanding to my role as a volunteer for Personal Bridge.
Having successfully transitioned from a life of long-term incarceration to one of purpose, I now use my journey to help others find their own path out of the woods.
I hold a Level 1 and 2 qualified Peer Mentor Certificate, and live with ADHD and complex PTSD, this gives me a unique perspective on the neuro divergent challenges that often accompany life-controlling issues.
My goal is simple: to prove that no matter how long you've been in the dark, it is never too late to turn to the light.
Hello, I'm David, with over 35+ years of lived experience of navigating addiction and the justice system, I bring a raw, unfiltered understanding to my role as a volunteer for Personal Bridge.
Having successfully transitioned from a life of long-term incarceration to one of purpose, I now use my journey to help others find their own path out of the woods.
I hold a Level 1 and 2 qualified Peer Mentor Certificate, and live with ADHD and complex PTSD, this gives me a unique perspective on the neuro divergent challenges that often accompany life-controlling issues.
My goal is simple: to prove that no matter how long you've been in the dark, it is never too late to turn to the light.