IT’S OKAY TO FEEL THIS WAY
You’re not alone
You may have arrived here because life feels overwhelming, uncertain or difficult to manage.
Perhaps you’re experiencing anxiety or low mood. You may be grieving the loss of someone important, struggling with a relationship, facing a significant life change, or simply feeling disconnected from yourself.
Sometimes there is a clear reason for how we are feeling. At other times, there may just be a sense that something isn’t quite right.
Whatever has brought you here, your feelings are valid.
Counselling gives you a calm and confidential space where you can speak openly, without fear of judgement and without feeling that you are a burden to anyone else.
You don’t have to have all the answers before you begin. You simply need somewhere safe to start.
COMMON REASONS PEOPLE SEEK SUPPORT
You might be experiencing…
Counselling can offer support through many different experiences and stages of life.
You may be dealing with:
You don’t need to decide whether your difficulties are “serious enough” for counselling.
Therapy does not have to be something you turn to only during a crisis. It can also be a valuable space to reflect, understand yourself better and explore patterns or feelings before they become overwhelming.
A space where you can be yourself
In counselling, you don’t need to perform, pretend that everything is fine or worry about saying the “right” thing.
You can talk about what matters to you, at your own pace.
My role is not to tell you how to live your life or give you a set of instructions to follow.
Instead, I aim to create a warm, accepting and honest therapeutic relationship where you feel able to explore your thoughts, feelings and experiences more openly.
I believe that you are the expert in your own life and that the answers you are looking for are often already within you.
Counselling can help create the space to listen to yourself more clearly.
You are at the heart of the process
My approach is primarily person-centred and integrative.
That means I won’t try to fit you into a fixed method or follow a predetermined agenda.
Every person is different, and our work together will reflect your individual experiences, needs and goals.
We may explore what is happening in your life now, look at past experiences that continue to affect you, or simply create space for thoughts and feelings that you haven’t been able to express elsewhere.
The process is collaborative.
We work together in a way that feels appropriate for you.
Finding the right counsellor matters
One of the most important parts of counselling is the relationship you develop with your therapist.
Feeling comfortable, understood and able to trust the person you are speaking to can make it much easier to explore difficult or personal experiences.
That is why I offer a free, no-obligation 15-minute introductory phone or video call.
It gives us an opportunity to talk briefly about what has brought you to counselling, answer any questions you may have and see whether working together feels right for you.
There is no pressure to continue.
TAKING THE FIRST STEP
What to expect
Reaching out for counselling can feel like a big step, particularly if you have never spoken to a counsellor before.
It is completely normal to feel uncertain or to have questions about what will happen.
Your first counselling session gives us the opportunity to get to know one another and explore what has brought you to therapy.
You can talk about what you would like support with, what you hope might change, or simply how things are feeling for you right now.
You don’t need to arrive with a clear goal or know exactly what you want from counselling.
We can work that out together.
If you decide to continue, sessions will usually take place weekly and last 50 minutes. Therapy can be short or longer term depending on your needs, and we will regularly review how things are progressing.
