One-to-One Sessions

Because every young person deserves a relationship that starts with trust, not expectation.

At Re:Shift, our one-to-one sessions offer more than support, they offer a consistent, respectful presence in a young person’s life. These sessions aren’t about assessment, fixing, or ticking boxes. They are about meeting a young person exactly where they are, with no pressure to perform, open up, or prove anything.

We create a space where trust can grow naturally through shared moments, creative expression, and routine. For some, it’s a gentle complement to their existing care or education plan. For others, it’s an alternative space where they can feel safe, valued, and seen outside of formal structures.

What Our Sessions Look Like

Sessions are usually delivered weekly or fortnightly by a named Re:Shift practitioner. We meet young people in calm, youth-appropriate environments, this might be a garden studio, creative workspace, community venue, or even just outdoors on a walk.

Each session is shaped around the young person’s energy, interests, and emotional state that day. There’s no pressure to follow a fixed plan, our practitioners are trained to be responsive, intuitive, and flexible, especially when supporting young people experiencing anxiety, low mood, or emotional overwhelm.

Activities might include:

• Creative expression – drawing, collage, digital art, photography, poetry, or building personal journals
• Music-based engagement – co-creating playlists, listening to calming tracks, writing lyrics, or exploring emotions through sound
• Movement and outdoor connection – walking, mindful games, nature-based grounding, football, or gardening
• Self-regulation and emotional support – using sensory tools, building personal coping strategies, emotion cards, or mood tracking exercises
• Storytelling and identity work – vision boards, zines, character design, or personal timelines that support reflection and self-understanding
• Life skills and planning – practicing independent living skills like budgeting, preparing food, goal-setting, or navigating transitions
• Quiet presence and gentle conversation – sharing a drink, talking through anxieties, or just being together in silence when words feel too much

We are particularly sensitive to the needs of young people experiencing:

• Social or generalised anxiety
• Low self-worth or motivation
• Sensory overload or shutdowns
• Emotional dysregulation

Our practitioners are trained to recognise the signs of emotional distress and respond without pressure, judgement, or clinical expectation. Some sessions may focus purely on building safety and co-regulation, others may gently introduce coping tools or reflective practices over time.

What matters most is that each young person feels safe, unhurried, and genuinely supported. Re:Shift offers a rare kind of space where their mental health needs are acknowledged — not as something to be “managed,” but as part of who they are, and worthy of care and connection.

What Makes It Work

Our one-to-one sessions reflect Re:Shift’s wider approach: creative, trauma-informed, and deeply relational. We believe that meaningful engagement begins when young people feel safe enough not to be performing.

Here’s what sets our sessions apart:

• Relational and trauma-aware
  We understand that many young people have experienced instability, rejection, or feeling unseen. Our practitioners prioritise emotional safety and predictability.
• Curious, not corrective
  We respond to behaviour with empathy and curiosity. We don’t ask, “What’s wrong with you?” We ask, “What’s happened to you?” and “What matters to you?”
• Slow-paced and interest-led
  Progress doesn’t come in straight lines. Sometimes it begins with a shared playlist or silent drawing session. and that’s enough.
• Human, not hierarchical
  Our practitioners don’t act like caseworkers or teachers. They show up as real people: trained, reflective, consistent, and emotionally available.

These one-to-one relationships often become an anchor, a dependable part of a young person’s week that provides stability, affirmation, and space to explore who they are and what they need.

Who It’s For

Our one-to-one sessions support young people aged 12+ who are:

• Struggling to engage with mainstream education
• In care or supported accommodation
• Transitioning between placements or provisions
• Experiencing emotional or mental health challenges
• Isolated, overwhelmed, or unsure of what comes next

For some, our sessions run alongside school, therapy, or care planning. For others, we may be the only consistent space they feel safe in. Re:Shift can complement existing provision or serve as a (part-time) standalone pathway, depending on the young person’s needs.

Referrals and Commissioning

We offer one-to-one support through spot-purchased sessions or block-commissioned packages. Referrals often come from:

• Local authorities
• Schools and education providers
• Children’s homes and supported accommodation
• Youth justice and leaving care teams
• Families, carers, and trusted professionals

Want to make a referral or explore a package?

📩 Contact us to explore how one-to-one sessions can support a young person in your care.