The Gap Counselling: Creating a Safe Space for Mallorca’s Communities

When Sarah and Gary Napier first came to Mallorca in 2015, they had no idea that nearly a decade later they would be opening one of the island’s few dedicated centres for counselling, mental health support and community connection. The couple arrived as part of a mission trip with 24-7 Prayer, spending long nights working with Street Angels in Magaluf. Those early experiences, they say, revealed both the joy and the struggle behind life on the island. It is a theme that has stayed with them, and ultimately led to the creation of The Gap Counselling.

“We have been running the counselling practice for around five years now,” Gary explains. “It began online during Covid, when people suddenly had time to stop and realise they needed help. The demand was huge.” From just a handful of clients in the early days, the practice has grown into a professional team of five counsellors, supported by an operations manager. Sessions are now offered both online and face-to-face, with a strong emphasis on privacy, trust and continuity.

“Living on an island can feel very small,” Sarah adds. “People guard their privacy closely. There is this idea that life here must be perfect. Sunshine, sea, fiestas, beautiful feeds on social media. But everyone carries something. And many people feel they cannot talk, especially if they think others think they ‘have it all’.”

The counsellors say that although the reasons people seek help vary, the underlying issue is often similar.

“If you strip it back, most of the time what we are working with is self-esteem,” Gary says. “How we see ourselves, how we value ourselves, how childhood experiences shaped our sense of identity. Many people had a difficult experience growing up, even if it looked normal from the outside. It stays with them into adult life and into relationships.” Gary continues. “We work with family conflict, parenting challenges, relationship breakdowns, anxiety, and addiction. But beneath many of these is pain that has not been acknowledged. We are not going into the past for the sake of going back there. We are going there so the person can move forward. If you heal the wound properly, you can run again.”

This vision of healing has now taken physical form in their new space, located in the former Penny Lanes in Palmanova. The idea came through local connections, and from the shared dream of turning the venue into something restorative for the wider community. “We always hoped to have a physical place,” Gary says. “Not just for one-to-one sessions, but somewhere where people could meet, learn, connect. A safe space. And when the opportunity arose to take over this building earlier than expected, it felt like the right moment.”

The downstairs area will become a café-style social space, available for events, meet-ups, talks and gatherings. The upstairs will be a training and education centre. Workshops will range from mental health awareness to parenting support, relationship communication and The Gap’s new identity-focused course, Dare to Be You.

“We are passionate about helping people understand who they are,” Gary explains. “We are not taught emotional education. We learn maths and grammar, but not how to have a relationship or how to recognise our own needs. Then we grow up, fall in love, get married or start families, without understanding ourselves. So the work starts with identity and purpose.”

The centre will serve the island’s English-speaking community, but also the Spanish and international communities. Among the counselling team are speakers of Spanish, French and Polish. “Inclusivity is important,” Sarah says. “People need support in their own language. And Mallorca is full of mixed-culture relationships, which can come with their own challenges.”

The launch coincides with Movember, making men’s mental health a key focus throughout November. “Men often do not talk,” Gary says. “They can be surrounded by people and still feel alone. But when men do gather and talk honestly, it changes everything.” The centre will host men’s discussion circles, talks and informal drop-in sessions. There will also be children’s activities and family-friendly events to ensure the centre does not feel clinical or closed-off.

Running a counselling practice can take an emotional toll, and the couple are open about the need for self-care. “Counsellors are often the worst at looking after themselves,” Sarah admits. “So I make sure to walk, run, watch something light, do something fun. You have to consciously let the day go.” Gary adds, laughing, “By Friday evening, I have no more words. My head is full!” But the demanding nature of the work is also what makes it meaningful. “Life is messy,” Gary says. “We are not here to judge anyone. We are here to walk with them through the messiness and help them find solid ground again.”

The Gap Counselling’s new centre will open with a community launch event, including food, children’s activities and an introduction to the month’s programme. Everyone is welcome.

“Ultimately,” Sarah says, “this is not our space. It’s the community’s. A place to breathe. A place to be yourself.”

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