Wayne Mullen – Apollo Support (AS) Counselling

​A SINGLE parent who gave up work to look after his children has started a counselling business – and named it after his much-missed dog.

Wayne Mullen, from Whitleigh, trained as a volunteer counsellor and worked for the national charity Cruse Bereavement Care for more than four years.

Now he has started Apollo Support (AS) Counselling offering a listening ear for people suffering depression or requiring anger management.

Mr Mullen can do this using “walk and talk” therapies, at a place to suit the client, or even by using Skype.

He said the counselling offered is “non-judgemental and understanding” and said: “I had counselling when I was younger, to help me through difficulties. It was empowering.”

AS Counselling was launched with the help of start-up support organisations Outset Plymouth and Outset Finance.

But Mr Mullen got the name from his pet Doberman, Apollo, which sadly died last Christmas.

“For a few years I had been thinking of starting a business,” Mr Mullen said. “When he died I found out Apollo was the Greek god of light and healing – that was the light bulb moment for me and I rang Outset Plymouth.

“I’m not just doing it for me any more, but for Apollo’s memory,” he said.