“Our mission is to change lives for the better.”

A message from our co-founder, Beverley Donohue…

“This is a personal reflection as we celebrate moving into our new premises.

I feel this could not pass without acknowledging the founder of Focus, and the reason for its creation. My brother Ian took his own life at the age of 32. The sense of frustration and helplessness that his death had on our family was enormous and resulted in my husband, Mike Donohue, taking a degree in counselling at the University of Hull and becoming involved in support organisations across the city…”

“He set up the first Anti-Bullying Programme here in Hull and later established the Family Assessment and Support Unit at the University of Hull, for which he was awarded the Queens Award to Industry and a trip to Buckingham Palace. It was through this work that he was awarded the contract to provide counselling support to Hull City Council employees. This was the birth of Focus in 1997. Sadly, within a year of the company being formed, Mick was diagnosed with cancer, and he died without seeing the results of his hard work and vision. He would be enormously proud of the impact that Focus has had within his much-loved community of Hull.”

“Over the years there have been many therapists who have worked for Focus; however, the business would not be where it is today if Peter Palumbo had not shared Mike’s commitment and vision. I still vividly remember the day Pete knocked on my door when I needed a counsellor. He subsequently joined the company, and we worked together for many years providing counselling and education across the Hull area.

When Tom joined the company after university, they became the ‘dream team’. A wonderful and lasting relationship of mutual respect has taken the company to where it is today. I am very proud of them both, and it has given me enormous pleasure to see the success they have made of what was originally Mike’s dream.”

2025

Fast-forward to today and Focus has continued to thrive, sharing Mike’s vision with everyone we encounter.

Driven by a profound desire to help people transform their lives

Since Mike secured our first contract with Hull City Council, we have partnered with over 25 public and private sector organisations, providing essential therapeutic support to companies and their employees.

Since 2014, we have grown to become the largest provider of NHS Talking Therapies in Hull, ensuring that high-quality treatment for anxiety and depression is accessible to the people of Hull when they need it most. In early 2022, we expanded our services to East Yorkshire, becoming a leading provider of NHS Talking Therapies in the region and extending our unique, relational approach to a wider population.

Focus has established itself as a highly regarded training provider

We have delivered beginner and intermediate counselling courses for several years, along with a foundation degree programme accredited by the University of Hull. Many of our trainees have since joined us in paid roles, embarking on rewarding careers at Focus.

Join us on this inspiring journey, where we continue to make a positive impact on the lives of those we serve.