The Freedom Journey (previously called The Freedom Course) is a 16 week, trauma-informed discipleship programme designed to help Christians live free and stay free.

Over approximately 10 hours of therapeutic engagement every week, participants will work with a Freedom Journey facilitator to deepen an authentic relationship with God, self and others through mentoring, healing prayer and by completing curriculum content. Participants will also have access to a registered counsellor and specialist practitioners (where needed), as well as life-time access to aftercare support.

Before you apply to the Freedom Journey, review the self-assessment questions below to decide whether the course is suitable:

● Do you often sense a disconnect in your relationship with God, self and others that you cannot resolve?

● Do you find your responsibilities or relationships are restricted by your own limiting beliefs?

● Do you find yourself coping through unhelpful behaviours or habits?

● Are you able to access emails, websites and online conferencing?

● Can you commit up to an average of 10 hours therapeutic engagement with the course every week, for 16 weeks?

● Are you looking to address the root cause of struggles through encountering God more deeply?

If the answer is yes to the above questions, then the Freedom Journey might be suitable for you.

The Freedom Journey is not suitable for individuals receiving in-patient care or who are already receiving counselling or therapy. The Freedom Journey is not suitable for individuals facing acute mental health needs. Participants will need to demonstrate an ability to engage in critical reflection, manage their emotions and safeguard themselves and others.

The Freedom Journey offers a Christ-centred discipleship curriculum and aspects of the course include Bible study, Christian teaching and prayer. Participants are asked to be willing to engage in these faith-based activities.

We know that having a solid support network within a local church or Christian fellowship really does make the difference to living free and staying free. Mercy UK works in close partnership with churches and Christian fellowships by offering training and pastoral care advice and if desired, we can support you in finding a fellowship that suits you.

In order to be considered for the Freedom Journey, you will need to demonstrate that you can give roughly 10 hours a week to complete the course in your own time. We run the Freedom Journey between 9am and 4pm Monday to Friday and sessions will typically take place within these hours.

However, we do recognise that there may be extenuating circumstances so we advise that you discuss your availability with a member of the Admissions team before you apply.

Unfortunately, we cannot consider your application if you are already receiving therapeutic input from another counselling or support service.

The course allows you to go as deep as you feel comfortable going and, during the application process, you will be given the chance to share what areas you would like to explore.

Meeting with an Accountability Partner as part of your support network and receiving counselling with a registered counsellor, are integral parts of the course alongside your facilitated sessions. This coordinated support allows you to process your learning and experiences outside of your weekly sessions with your Freedom Journey facilitator.

You can apply via the Freedom Journey application link on the Mercy UK website. Information about the application process and a step-by-step guide is available on the Freedom Journey webpage.

At Mercy UK, we recognise that healing comes in layers and that from time to time, we may face new challenges or feel an invitation to explore even deeper levels of our freedom. For this reason, you will be introduced to our Aftercare team during your final module on the Freedom Journey.

Our Aftercare service offers you lifetime access to prayer support and signposting to resources, practitioners or faith-based support, to ensure that you are equipped to live free and stay free once your course ends.

We’re unable to give a specific time due to the growing demand for our services and advise you to stay in contact with your Admissions team member overseeing your application. As you prepare to begin your course, we recommend that you engage with the support and teaching offered to you, until a place becomes available.

Where an individual is deemed to need more support than the Freedom Journey team can offer or an individual is unable or unwilling to engage with the support offered, or the required time commitment, recommendations to alternative support options will be offered in place of the Freedom Journey.

Yes! All thanks to our amazing supporters. At Mercy UK we don’t charge for access to our services, as we believe that finances should never be a barrier to someone gaining freedom. It’s obviously not free to run – the average cost per participant is about £2,500. For those where finances aren't a barrier, we welcome donations from participants towards these costs, but it is purely optional and doesn't impact the application process.

We have a strict criteria for international applicants to the Freedom Journey. If you are a UK-resident but are currently living outside of the UK or if you are a non UK-resident, please contact our Admissions Team before applying for the Freedom Journey and we will be happy to discuss your eligibility admissions@mercyuk.org