Counselling and psychotherapy

Counselling gives you a space to talk about what's going on, understand your behaviours, responses, feelings and emotions, and work out how you want to move forward from where you are now. Because I'm trained in counselling and psychotherapy, we can focus on what's happening in your life now, or work on deeper-rooted, long-standing difficulties.

What I can help with

Anxiety and panic attacks

Anxiety can show up as constant worry, a racing mind, panic attacks, or health anxiety that's hard to switch off. Together we can look at what's behind it, and I can share practical techniques to help you manage anxiety day to day.

Low mood and depression

When everything feels heavy or flat, it can be hard to know where to begin. Counselling gives you a non-judgemental space to talk about how you're feeling, understand what might be keeping you stuck, and set goals that feel achievable. I can also share techniques that help with low mood.

Stress, work stress and burnout

Pressure at work or at home can build until it feels like too much. We can make sense of what's draining you, look at how you respond under pressure, and find ways of coping that work for you.

Relationship difficulties

I really enjoy the relational side of counselling. Whether things are difficult with a partner, or with family such as parents or children, we can explore what's happening and look at practical ways of handling it. I work with individuals only and don't offer couples counselling.

Bereavement and grief

Grief can be overwhelming, and it doesn't follow a timetable. Counselling offers a place to talk about the person you've lost and how you're coping, at your own pace.

Negative thinking and low self-esteem

Thoughts that spiral, catastrophising, or a harsh inner voice can wear you down. We can work on understanding where these patterns come from and how to respond to them differently.

Life changes

Big changes, whether expected or not, can unsettle even the most settled of us. Counselling can help you find your footing again.

Phobias

We can work on phobias through talk therapy, or with EMDR where that suits better.

Trauma and PTSD

If you've been affected by a single significant event, or by a series of challenging experiences in childhood or adult life, EMDR therapy may help alongside or after talk therapy.

Not sure if what you're going through fits here? That's the question people ask me most often. The free initial call is the best place to find out.

How I work

My approach is very warm and very empathetic. As well as hearing what's going on and helping you understand yourself, I want to help you move forward.

• Person-centred. I help you understand yourself better.
• Client-led. You choose the topic, the pace and the direction of each session. Where it's needed, I can offer some direction.
• Honest and transparent. I bring myself to the sessions and don't hide behind a clinical mask or professional facade.
• Solution-focused when it helps. This can include techniques for anxiety, low mood and depression, practical ways of dealing with difficult relationships, and goal setting.
• Collaborative. I will never dictate to you or tell you what to do.

What sessions are like

In your first session we go through the counselling contract, complete a short initial assessment questionnaire and set goals for counselling.

After that, I'll ask at the start of each session if there's anything specific you want to talk about that day, and we'll follow up on the goals we set together.

Sessions are 50 minutes and cost £45, whether we meet in person, by video or by phone. See fees and booking for concessions and cancellations.

How many sessions?

• Six sessions is usually a good start, and sometimes that's all people need.
• You can continue beyond six if you need and want to. Sessions can be as and when you need them, as long as it's ethically safe.
• I'll regularly check that counselling is helping and that you want to continue, so you never feel stuck in the process.
• I welcome open, honest conversation and feedback about how it's going.
• You're free to end counselling at any point.

What clients tell me

Clients have told me they felt listened to and understood. In my experience, most of my clients see a reduction in anxiety and low mood. I've measured this over years using anxiety and mood questionnaires at the beginning and end of counselling. Everyone is different, so I can't promise a particular outcome, but I'll keep checking with you that it's helping.