From personal experience to professional purpose: Greenhead College’s lead counsellor reflects on an 18-year journey

13 January 2026

For Marc Tomlinson, becoming a counsellor was less a sudden career decision and more a natural progression rooted in empathy, lived experience and a longstanding desire to help others. Now lead counsellor at Greenhead College, Marc oversees a thriving mental health service that has grown significantly over nearly two decades and sits at the heart of the college’s award-winning well-being provision.

Marc recalls that even at 17 he was acutely aware of the absence of counselling support in schools at the time. Wanting someone to talk to himself sparked an early understanding of the importance and potential impact of counselling. This awareness, combined with a natural inclination to listen and support others, laid the foundations for his future career.

Although initially drawn to the performing arts, studying dance and qualifying as a teacher, Marc soon realised this path was not quite right. While at university, accessing counselling support during a difficult period proved transformative. Experiencing therapy from a client’s perspective deepened his self-understanding and left a lasting impression on how vulnerable it can feel to seek help – an insight that continues to inform his work with students today.

After graduating, and once eligible to train, Marc began formal counselling training, alongside volunteering with Samaritans. This experience confirmed his vocation. He describes his training as challenging and deeply formative, particularly due to the small, diverse cohort and the emphasis on regular skills practice, feedback and personal development. ‘There was no coasting,’ he reflects. ‘You had to be fully engaged, and that pushed me to grow – not just as a counsellor, but as a person.’

Marc’s commitment to working with young people emerged early. During training, he completed a placement counselling sixth form students, setting up the service from scratch. This experience, combined with his own personal therapy and further placements in colleges and universities, solidified his passion for supporting young people at a pivotal stage in their lives.

Eighteen years ago, Marc joined Greenhead College as a part-time counsellor. Since then, the service has expanded into a multidisciplinary team including counsellors, a CBT practitioner and a life coach, while also offering placements to trainee and newly qualified counsellors. In 2024, the college was awarded the Gold Standard for outstanding mental health and wellbeing provision, recognising the strength of a service that Marc now leads.

Beyond his role at Greenhead, Marc is a strong advocate for young people’s mental health services. He helps facilitate a further education counsellors’ network, creating space for professionals to share learning, challenges and best practice, always with students’ needs at the centre.

What sustains him, Marc says, is both the team he works with and the clients he supports. He describes counselling young people as a privilege, particularly in the context of ongoing academic pressures and the lasting mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. ‘It’s an honour that clients trust us with their vulnerabilities,’ he says. ‘That trust is what keeps me motivated, even through the challenges of running a busy service.’

Outside of work, Marc has rediscovered a love of movement through roller skating, reconnecting with the joy he once found in dance. Looking ahead, he hopes to continue developing the counselling service at Greenhead, ensuring it evolves in line with students’ needs, while remaining a strong voice for young people within educational systems.

---

This article first appeared in the November 2025 issue of University & College Counselling, published by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. www.bacp.co.uk/bacp-journals/university-and-college-counselling/ ©BACP 2025. Read the full version below.