Kath Cheer

Thank you for reading my profile. If you are thinking about having therapy it is likely a really challenging time for you and I hope you will find a therapist you feel comfortable and safe with. I also hope the information I have provided will help you make a decision about whether I could be the right therapist for you. My specialism is working with grief and loss, in all its forms. Many life changes are sparked by a loss of some sort; a bereavement, a relationship ending, redundancy or retirement, becoming a carer, coming to terms with unwanted childlessness, grappling with sexuality or gender identity. I could go on. Often we are able to manage these losses and move on through our own resourcefulness and with the support of those around us. Sometimes, however, the loss is more difficult to deal with; maybe you no longer recognise the life you are living and your security has been eroded. Or perhaps there is a loss you thought you had dealt with but it's affecting you again now. Maybe the loss has impacted your sense of who you are or perhaps it's something you don't feel able to share with those around you. Maybe you are coping emotionally but you need some help to work out and plan for the direction your life should now take. I have more than 35 years' experience of working with and supporting adults. You can work out from that that I am quite old, which may not be everyone's cup of tea but it does mean I have plenty of life experience to draw on. I have had my own mental health challenges and learnt so much from the amazing therapists who have supported me along the way. I have known loneliness, grappled with my sexuality and been childless through circumstance. I have come later in life to a long term secure relationship so I know it's never too late for change to happen. Having said all that, I am very clear that the sessions are about you and that, even if we have been through something similar, we probably haven't experienced it in the same way. I will never make assumptions or judgements about your life and experiences and I will always be curious about what something means to you. I am trained as a counsellor and life coach. This means that I can use different approaches according to your needs and preferences and as those needs and preferences change. I can help you through difficult times and, when you are ready, I can support you to rebuild your life and move onwards towards new experiences and choices. Throughout, I will listen to you to the best of my ability, without judgement, and I will regularly check in with you about what is working or whether there are things we should do differently. These are your sessions. I may have the qualifications but you have lived with yourself all your life; any work we do together will be a joint enterprise.