If you are looking for a supportive, and down to earth counsellor,  I may be right for you. I offer a warm and welcoming counselling service supporting individuals, couples and  young people,  through challenging times. Counselling is my passion: It feels meaningful and transformative  to be part of  a client's journey towards well being and a better quality of life. I'm often amazed at the strength and resilience of my clients and I celebrate their renewed hope and recognition of themselves.

I have always been interested in working with people in a "helping" role,  and my background prior to counselling is in the education sector,  and domestic abuse support. Currently,  I work as a private practitioner, but I also  offer therapeutic support within the charitable sector to  young people who have been victims of crime.

I started  my  training, out of curiosity rather than thinking of it as a future career. However, I was so intrigued by what I found out about myself and others that I decided that I would like to become a counsellor. 

To some extent I feel my own historical narrative has made me want to connect and therapeutically support  others who may have been through similar experiences.  I understand how it is to feel inferior  or to suffer from a lack of self worth, to feel shame about  family circumstances. I know how it is to be a part of someone's life when they are self sabotaging. I have experienced the pain of   loss.  I can empathise with individuals who have ongoing relationship challenges.  However, I know it's possible to heal, and to move on, and I can help you do this. 

I feel that my strengths lie in my ability to build trust and rapport with clients from all walks of life and all backgrounds. I'm down to earth and non-judgemental; I have a calm and gentle approach, but I also have the ability to be able to challenge clients when appropriate, or offer a different perspective.

I am intuitive,  and I can listen and really hear what clients say, but I also have the knowledge, and skills to enable clients to progress. If a client has goals that they would like to achieve, it's important to me that we both work collaboratively towards the outcomes. As a client you will receive the most effective approaches to addressing your  needs. You  will feel empowered and capable of making the changes that you want to be able to create a more rich and meaningful life.

I have had considerable experience of working with issues around domestic abuse,  or sexual assault, but I also really enjoy working with clients who feel "stuck", perhaps not knowing where they are going in life, or feeling that life is passing them by.

I can offer a non-judgemental space for you to unpack your worries and concerns. I have experience in working with: attachment, trauma, anxiety, self-harm, depression, overwork / work stress, life transitions, personal relationships, and much more.

I am always respectful of the client's presenting problem and together as therapist and client, we examine your current life in order to discover whether it is supporting or disabling your ability to flourish. I am also interested in what is underlying and I encourage exploration to help unearth your  past narrative. I combine listening, with asking questions.  Together, we may meet new options, alternative ways of looking at situations and responding. Through this we may gain a deeper insight into not only who you have always been, but the potential of all you can be.

 A healthy self-relationship is, I believe, a much neglected and misunderstood area and one I help many people with. I will be by your side while you are working through your past traumas, current obstacles and life’s challenges . I allow you to make the decisions in your life, while offering you a safe place to look at things from a different perspective. I will never force you to do something or try to control your decisions. I believe you are the expert in your own life and understand sometimes we need someone to offer an empathetic , non judgemental ear. I will help you find yourself again by focusing on your strengths and passions.

Talking to a counsellor maybe the only time you  will really get to reflect on past and present feelings and gain a new perspective on issues. I provide a free 15 minute initial phone consultation service.

For further information please take a look at my website : www.thecompassionatecounsellor.com