What is Counselling or Psychotherapy?

My personal view, when required essential for health.

Counselling involves empathic listening and support to help you problem solve in the present. 

Psychotherapy involves the process of identifying the psychological issues underlying peoples problems and supporting those issues to be resolved.   

Many people find benefit in working with an experienced and well trained Psychotherapist when they find life challenging.  Often clients can feel relief from their immediate issues within six to ten sessions.  Many people then choose to continue their personal development, so that they can meet life differently in the future. I can offer psychotherapy and counselling to individuals in one to one sessions, family therapy and group therapy.

Counselling and Psychotherapy is:

  • A confidential setting for exploring difficult issues

  • A skilled profession offering insight and explanation when needed

  • An opportunity for you to make changes in yourself and in your life

  • A space to heal in body, mind and spirit

  • A time to reflect and grow toward your life goals

  • A chance to see clearly how you have ended up where you are and consider any changes you may want to make

  • A way of developing healthy relationships

  • A place to stand back from your problems and understand them in a more helpful way

Above all, as a counsellor or psychotherapist, I offer you a safe and professional relationship where we will work together to develop an understanding of what is happening for you, what you can do to learn, grow and move in a positive direction that enables you to develop a source of strength for the future.

For Individual Therapy 

All individuals who are seeking support begin by working one to one with a registered counsellor and psychotherapist; for most people this is the way their therapy will proceed until they feel ready to conclude the work.  Some people may wish to resolve their issues with the support and insight of a group of peers and for those I can generally offer regular group psychotherapy.

For Couples Therapy                  

I can offer counselling and psychotherapy to couples to help improve relationships and to resolve problems.

Taking the step of coming to see a couples therapist can often feel daunting.  It is always suggested that a couple makes an initial appointment to give them time to both explain their concerns but also to see if they both feel they can work with their therapist. 

Sometimes couples value support to identify the ways they are misinterpreting one another’s communication or behavior.  Sometimes couples benefit from support to understand the changes they might make to enable their relationship to flourish.  Other times couples benefit from having an experienced third party present while they negotiate their break up.

Please contact me by phone if you wish to discuss couples therapy before arranging a session.

For Family Therapy

Family struggles with different generational development(s)  whether  being new parents or new parent, Separation Anxiety, Teenage Problems, Leaving home, Finding a home, Getting Married, Mid-life Crisis, Retirement, Elderly family members, Grief and Bereavement.

Teenagers can sometimes experience the same sorts of problems adults can face, but without the life experience to manage themselves well.  Because teenagers brains are still developing, they can also lack an understanding of the risks of their actions.

Psychotherapy and counselling with the right therapist can be very valuable to teens and the family; to provide them with a confidential space to share their worries; to provide them with tools and techniques for managing their feelings; and to offer professional support for emerging mental health concerns such as phobias, eating disorders or obsessive and compulsive behaviours.

Teenagers can often get involved in harmful behaviours such as self-harm, substance misuse and risk taking.  Psychotherapy can help teenagers to understand the risks involved in their actions and to learn tools and strategies for understanding and managing their feelings in safer ways.

Teenagers have to want this support and family therapy can be useful  working with parents to help them to manage their relationships with their children more effectively and to support the family unit to function and communicate in healthier ways.

Grief and Bereavement

Losing someone or something we loved is intensely difficult for everyone.  Grief is a natural reaction to bereavement such as the death of a partner, parent or child. We can also experience grief when we experience the unexpected ending of a relationship or the loss of a job or a home or your teenager leaving home.

We may feel that we need support, but don’t wish to burden our close friends of family.  Having a counsellor or therapist to help you through this experience and to understand your feelings better can be both comforting and valuable.

Sometimes grief can persist long after the incident that caused it, and therapy can help you to move on from the experience and to re-attach to life without the person or aspect of life that you lost.  Counselling and Psychotherapy can support you to complete the grieving process in a healthy way.