THE WAY I WORK

I respect the individuality of my clients and believe in their potential to find fulfilment and a way forward through life's problems and challenges. My training and experience is guided by the belief that humans have a natural ability to problem solve and grow, however life's events and circumstances can affect our ability to access this natural part of ourselves. I provide a safe non-judgmental space where clients are free to reflect and can begin to see themselves and their circumstances in a new light.

Below are a variety of counselling approaches which l use.   

MINDFULNESS

The world of mental and emotional health recognises the value of mindfulness as a way of dealing with stress, anxiety and depression. Mindfulness simply means to base yourself in the present moment. This does not mean that you cannot learn from the past or plan for the future, however the practice of mindfulness can help strengthen your inner calm. This can prove to be a useful resource in times of stress, fear and anxiety. I offer my clients the opportunity to develop a more mindful approach to their lives.

COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY (CBT)

Clients who come for help because of anxiety and worry can find a CBT based approach helpful. CBT helps us to understand the way our brain works and how our bodies respond to strong feelings such as fear and anxiety. I offer mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). This approach combines CBT with the practice of mindfulness.

RELATIONSHIP COUNSELLING

Clients who come for help with their relationships find it useful to have a safe confidential space where they can listen to one another and begin to understand their differences. Couples regularly say that it is helpful to talk to someone impartial who is neither a family member or a friend. Relationship counselling starts with the Access Stage, which helps us to decide if counselling will be helpful and what the goals of counselling should be. There are four meetings in the access stage:

Meeting one - The three of us will meet to see what the issues are and what you would like to achieve through counselling.

Meetings two and three - In these two meetings I will meet with each of you separately, this gives me a better understanding of each of you as individuals.

Meeting four - At this stage the three of us will meet and review the previous meetings. By the end of this meeting we will have a clear understanding of your main problems and I will be able to help you to identify ways in which you can move forward.

At this stage couples decide whether they would like to proceed with further sessions to work through these problems.

LOSS AND GRIEF

Clients who seek help due to a loss in their life often find it helpful to understand more about the process of bereavement and how loss affects us. Humans go through a natural process of bereavement for the many of life’s major losses, for example: death, divorce, a change of home, a loss of job or loss caused by illness and poor health. Although counselling cannot take away the normal pain of loss and bereavement, it can help to bring an understanding which in turn can help people to heal and find a way forward.           

HEALING THE PAST

Sometimes to move forward we need to revisit our past. This can seem a daunting and frightening prospect for people who have experienced painful, repressive or abusive childhoods. I offer my clients a safe and warm environment where they can look at the past with a view to helping them understand their present. This new understanding can help clients to heal and live in a more satisfying and fulfilled way.