All of us at sometime can feel that life is difficult and we can feel overwhelmed by the issues that put pressure of us. It is at these times that my support and understanding can be helpful.
Choosing the right counsellor for yourself can seem like a daunting task when there are so many and especially when you already feel under pressure. So the first session with me is free, to allow us to get a sense of whether we will be comfortable working together and before any financial commitment is made.
I have 10 years experience of counselling and studied for 8 years in Gestalt Psychotherapy and Person Centred Counselling. Coming from a background in education as a teacher and manager, I have experience of working with teenagers and have a CRB
(Criminal Records Bureau) clearance.
I am happy to work with many of the issues that can affect us and welcome contact from teenagers or adults for short term or long term work.
I am a member of the National Counselling Society and follow its Code of Ethics
There are many different approaches to therapy and it is a continually developing field. The therapeutic approach I use is broadly termed as 'person centred'.
Contrary to what many people think, my role as a counsellor is not to give advice. Instead I will help you question the way you look at things, the way you react or behave to situations or people and help you develop new strategies for how you deal with them.
I will do this by getting to know you, understanding your circumstances, listening to what you have to say and by offering support and insight.
When can Counselling help?
Whilst it can be helpful to talk to someone you know and trust you may feel more comfortable confiding in someone who is removed from your personal situation and therefore more objective. I will provide you with a set time and space and help you work through the issue concerning you.
Counselling is definitely worth considering when:
you are feeling overwhelmed and depressed;
you can't make important decisions and work out what to do next. You feel you need to have someone listen to you and help work out what is most important;
an issue or situation is seriously affecting your home and work life.
Counsellors can talk you through a whole range of modern day issues and situations. For example:
relationship or family issues including problems with children, siblings and family dynamics;
major life changes including career change and moving away from important individuals;
coping with separation, divorce and new relationships;
domestic violence;
depression or anxiety;
stress;
anger, including the reaction to it and how it can be managed;
loss and grief and the process of coming to terms with it;
parenting and step parenting including the social pressures affect young people.
How many sessions will you need?
At the initial consultancy session I will talk to you about how many session you would like, what issues you would like to work with and what you hope to gain from counselling. Each session would last for one hour, on a weekly basis. We will review your progress regularly and how you wish to proceed.
If you want to have a different arrangement to the above we can discuss that at the intial meeting also.
Currently fees are charged at £40 per hour .
Person Centred Therapy
There are many different approaches to this type of work, but in essence they all developed from the work of Carl Rogers, an American psychologist (1902 – 1987).
Approaches to counselling and psychotherapy are continually developing and Rogerian psychotherapy is recognised as a major influence on current forms of 'humanistic' therapy.
How we feel at this given moment in time is made up of our current experience of what is happening around us right now and our memories of previous experiences. Sometimes we 'box up' previous experiences and put them away due to them being uncomfortable or painful. This can affect how we deal with issues that are happening now. The purpose of a person centred approach is to help the client become fully aware of their feelings in the present without the therapist making suggestions about what those feelings mean or whether they are valid.
Clients are encouraged to recognise that their experience is their own and different to anyone else and that they have the ability to heal themselves with support.
Gestalt Psychotherapy
This was developed by Fritz and Laura Perls in the 1940's.
Gestalt therapy focuses more on what is happening than what is being discussed. The emphasis is on what is being done, thought and felt right now rather than on what was, might be, could be, or should be.
It is a powerful therapeutic approach which allows me to follow the client's interest 'in the moment'.
It allows me to help clients to connect with how they are feeling through numerous activities, for example, art, dream therapy, movement, music and talking.
The goal of Gestalt therapy is 'awareness' .
I work from home just 10 minutes walk from Westbury on Trym village. The area is well served by public transport. Please contact me for my full adddress.
0117 9507614 / 07910130388
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