What Is Counselling?
Do you feel as if your life could be better? Does a sense of duty or
low self-worth prevent you from pursuing your dreams? Everybody
has the right to seek happiness in life, but many of us are held back
by anxiety or negative thoughts. All of these considerations become
easier when you have a safe space to talk about them.
Counselling and psychotherapy are talking therapies which give you
an opportunity to examine your life, your relationships and family
history, and your hopes for the future, in a completely calm
environment. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can pinpoint a
specific challenge or way of thinking which was once helpful to you
in your past, but now may have become a hindrance to your personal
growth. I work in a holistic way integrating different styles of therapy
and mindfulness to encourage you to look at your lifestyle, consider the
support you have outside the counselling room, and to help you to
develop ongoing support for when your counselling ends.
A counsellor listens without judgment, allowing you space for reflection,
helping you to consider your own best course of action.
What should I expect?
When you want to change some aspect of your life I believe it is important to look at your whole way of living, not just present problems but also your family background, current challenges and your day-to-day lifestyle. When we are stressed or mentally exhausted we might reach for comfort from food, caffeine, drugs or alcohol and then wonder why our minds are in disarray. I use methods which have been successful in the many directions of my own life and those of my clients, and will never suggest that you try something which I was not willing to try for myself.
Counselling is not always an easy journey, as with any truly honest self-exploration. I will explain how we might work together at our first meeting, and in turn you can decide if this would work for you. I am not here to make any judgment about situations you have found yourself in, or the decisions you have made in the past. Our work will concentrate on helping you to sort things out and assisting you to make informed choices moving forwards from a calmer place. It is vital that you are here because you want to try counselling for yourself, and are not here because somebody else has sent you or told you that you need to attend - this is because we only commit wholeheartedly to choices we are making for ourselves.
As part of my training I have had to have extensive personal therapy of my own, so I know what it feels like to attend a first counselling session, and can hopefully help you to feel comfortable.
Where will counselling take place?
Counselling will take place in a calm and peaceful office within my home. I know people often feel apprehensive or nervous about coming for a first session, but several clients have remarked to me that they wouldn't have been half as scared if they had known what I was like!
If you have any particular worries about coming, fears or phobias please give me a call and we can chat about these before you come. If you don't get me first time, do leave a message for me to call you back as my phone will not be with me during sessions. I will come back to you as soon as I can.
How long will it take?
Our weekly meetings will be for a full hour and can either be a short focused course of 6 sessions or less, to address a particularly pressing issue, or longer term to help you to regain your balance and sense of self. There is no limit to the number of sessions you can attend, it can be open-ended just as long as it provides you with support.
You are the one who decides when to end. You tell me what is working, and what isn't. I can suggest techniques and practices which might help you outside the counselling room, you select those which work for you.
After the initial meeting you can decide what you would like to get from our time together. With time I would hope that you will experience a greater sense of balance in your life, and be able to appreciate the moment, not feeling controlled by either your emotions or the opinions of others.
Call: 07712 011180
