How often do you feel truly listened to?

Perhaps you feel no-one listens to you or understands you? The world can be a lonely place without genuine human connection.

Or perhaps those closest to you are great at listening and giving advice. They may have your best interests at heart and feel that because they know you, they also know what's best for you. Counselling provides a space where you are offered understanding and acceptance. You can freely explore your thoughts and feelings without fear of being judged.

Sometimes we lose touch with our own intuition, perhaps because of unhelpful messages we received in childhood or through our experiences of relationships with significant others. Counselling can help you look to at your issues in an objective way.

Which counsellor?

With so many counsellors and psychotherapists out there and so many different types of therapy available it can be overwhelming and confusing.

Research indicates that it is the therapeutic relationship that is most important, not the type of therapy of the counsellor. Find someone you feel comfortable with. Like any other relationship, some therapeutic relationships will be more effective than others. I offer a reduced fee of £25 for an initial session to see if you feel comfortable to work together. If you don’t feel I am the right person to help you that is absolutely fine and I will endeavour to refer you on to another counsellor.

What is person-centred counselling?

My core training is person-centred, part of the humanistic framework. Essentially, person centred counselling focuses on your ability to self-actualise, that means, to grow and fulfil your own unique potential in life.

It is a non-directive therapy, meaning that you decide what to bring to each session. I will be led by you and work at your pace. Some other types of counselling focus on the counsellor being an 'expert.' Person-centred counselling is different in this way, placing you, the client, as the expert of your life.

Being in person-centred counselling is a fluid, dynamic process and can be a very real way of relating to one another. I offer a genuine relationship where I will be honest about how I experience you. I will endeavour to see the world through your eyes and understand your experiences and the meaning they hold in your life.

Some people enjoy working with creative materials as a way of exploring their feelings. If this is something that appeals to you I am able to facilitate this.

This particular type of therapy can prove to be transformative on many levels. You may feel more able to explore and understand how past experiences have affected you. You may become more aware of your ‘inner critic’ and cultivate a kinder voice to yourself. You might gain greater self-awareness and deepen your ability to identify what you want in life. You may be able to choose healthier relationships. You may be able to let go of negative thinking patterns and experience a more integrated sense of self.