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Turning Point Counselling has come a long way since its humble beginnings in a Taieri shed 10 years ago.
Ten years ago members of the East Taieri Church had a vision to establish a professional and affordable counselling centre in Mosgiel.
Counsellor Jenny Begg started the centre in March 2005 in a small prefab shed in the church grounds and offered two appointments a day.
''There was a need for people to have some professional counselling and I wasn't working at the time so the minister of the church asked me if I'd do it.
''The shed worked really well but it was cold in the winter and hot in the summer because it wasn't insulated or anything like that. We chose the shed because it was private and people could visit without going in the rest of the building,'' Mrs Begg said.
Now Turning Point is located in a sunny room at the back of the East Taieri Church complex - it has its own private entrance and access to toilet and kitchen facilities. Clients can also be seen in Fairfield and Dunedin.
As demand for the service grew, two more part time staff joined the team - qualified psychotherapist Joss Phiskie in 2006 and registered mental health nurse and counsellor Paul Reet in 2009.
''I think people found it helpful and they would often refer other people to come. People come in with all sorts of issues; you name it, we deal with it. I guess a common theme is relationships - whether it's parenting, friendships, marriages, it all comes down to relationships usually,'' she said.
The service aimed to be professional and affordable.
''We don't want to charge prices that stop people from receiving counselling. It is open to anyone and referrals are made by GPs, other heath professionals, pastors and others. Clients are able to choose which member of the team they'd like to work with.''
The team is excited about future growth opportunities and is looking forward to serving and supporting Taieri people and those from the wider Dunedin area in years to come.
- David Beck