Counselling
Counselling for adults, couples and young people
HOW CAN COUNSELLING HELP ME?
Counselling offers a safe place and time for you to explore what is troubling you. Counselling can bring greater self awareness and self acceptance and a more peaceful, centered approach to life. It can help develop emotional resilience and coping strategies which can lead to an enhanced feeling of optimism and self esteem.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
I will work alongside you, using my skills and experience to support you explore the issues you are experiencing, increase your understanding and awareness, challenge you where appropriate and support you to make any changes you feel will benefit your life. This may result in recognising and letting go of old patterns of behaviour. Counselling can also help you deal with unfinished business and support you to move forward in a direction and pace that suits you.
ISSUES I CAN HELP YOU WITH
Working with individuals and couples I can support a range of issues such as: relationship issues, breakdown in communication, affairs, trust issues, anxiety, stress, trauma, family conflict, redundancy and work related issues, bereavement, depression, health issues, parental/step parent issues, separation and divorce related issues. Working with young people I have experience in issues such as: low mood, self harm, panic attacks, anxiety (general and social), anger management, low self esteem, family issues, bullying and abuse, loss and bereavement, exam stress, issues at home, decision making, mental health issues and depression.
HOW LONG IS THE APPOINTMENT AND HOW MANY WILL I NEED?
Appointments are one hour in length. Many people find they achieve what they want from counselling within about 8 to 10 sessions. Others may only want a few sessions or choose to stay in counselling for six months or longer. If you are concerned about the cost of counselling, we can agree a fixed number of sessions when we meet.
BENEFITS OF TALKING THERAPIES
(taken from NHS website)
“Talking therapies can help all sorts of people in lots of different situations. You may also hear them referred to as counselling, talking treatments or psychological therapies. Talking therapy is for anyone who's going through a bad time or has emotional problems they need help with. For many adults it may be the same or more effective than medication. Although there are lots of different types of talking therapy, they all have a similar aim: to help you feel better.
Some people say that talking therapies don't make their problems go away, but they find it easier to cope with them and feel happier.”
MINDFULNESS
I introduce mindfulness to clients that may be feeling stressed or overwhelmed as it can be very beneficial as a means of calming and grounding ourselves.
Paying more attention to the present moment, to our own thoughts and feelings and to the world around us brings self awareness and can improve our mental wellbeing. We can practise mindfulness anywhere, but it can be especially helpful to take a mindful approach if realising that, for several minutes, we have been "trapped" in reliving past problems or "pre-living" future worries.
Mindfulness makes us more aware of our thoughts and feelings as they happen. We can experience the present moment clearly and when we do that we can positively change the way we see ourselves and our lives.
RELAXATION TECHNIQUES
Stress can cause mental health problems, and make existing problems worse. Exploring relaxation techniques can help us look after ourselves when we are feeling stressed or worried. I encourage clients to practise some simple breathing and relaxation techniques. Deep breathing is one of the best ways to lower stress in the body. The way we breathe affects our whole body. By breathing deeply we are sending a message to the brain to calm down and relax.
GROUP FACILITATION
I facilitate groups on mindfulness, relaxation and wellbeing and I offer these to adults and young people.
CONTACT ME
Feel free to ring me with any questions you may have. I am offering face to face, online and telephone counselling.
I offer a free 20 minute telephone consultation which we can arrange at your convenience. If after speaking with me you would like an appointment we can arrange this at a time convenient for you.
COUNSELLING CONTRACT
If you are wanting to arrange a counselling appointment could you please read through the contract and let me know if you are happy to proceed. If you have any questions at this stage we can discuss these together before proceeding.
FEES
£60 for individuals.
£70 for couples.
I offer a few clients concessionary rates where possible (students or unwaged). Please contact me for details.
