Ruth Hargreaves

Hello, my therapy work is currently a mix of zoom sessions and face to face. As an accredited psychotherapist with many years of therapy experience this is further unpinned by 35 years of clinical experience in the NHS, private and charity sectors. I have worked as a counselling tutor and continue to support and assess therapy students. I enjoy my work and want to work with you so as to find ways of meeting your needs through Gestalt techniques of experimentation, discussion and exploration. I utilise Gestalt, body work, person centered therapy, some REBT and hypnotherapy as methods of approach. I am highly perceptive, creative, insightful and work to understand you well, attuning myself to your needs and internal dialogue with methods of approach firmly evidence based. My psychotherapy work experience has ranged widely: – working with body image issues, sexual identity, depression, anxiety, work related stress, anger management, relationship issues, religious influences, parental influences, coping with failure and dealing with the fear and trauma of it and the impact and effects of disability.  I have a lot of experience working with clients who have experienced loss and bereavement. Grief has the habit of triggering other losses and compounding the current loss with often painful memories of other painful life events. Whatever these are – loss of friends, relatives, ambitions, health, therapy can help with this. I have also spent many years working with clients who are experiencing work place stressors and who often have simultaneous pressures at home, thus creating the sense of feeling trapped and wondering how to find a way through the constraints, anxieties, tensions these situations create. Additionally, I have worked with people who feel they have failed in some way, struggling to define their identity or sexuality, who are looking for a sense of direction, a sense of purpose and place in the world. These are just some examples of what I / therapy can assist with.In the session we will look at where you have come from, where you are currently at, and where you would like to go from here, along with trying to find a way to achieving that.  In line with existential / experimental ideas, there is a focus on making choices and accepting responsibility for your life, but I also incorporate other ideas and techniques from different areas when appropriate.  Therapy works at your own pace and is adapted to your individual style and needs.  Like any other relationship it changes and develops over time as we continue our work together and as your needs change.   You are invited to bring all aspects of yourself to therapy and to discuss them freely – whether they are anxieties, memories, feelings, thoughts, dreams, events or fantasies. To arrange an appointment/initial meeting please email me in the first instance and we can arrange an initial meeting.