Welcome to my website. I’ve put together some information on how I work to help you decide your next step into therapy. I offer a safe, non-judgemental space to explore what’s on your mind. There’s nothing we can’t talk about.
What is counselling?
Humanistic Integrative Counselling like all talking therapies provides an opportunity and safe space to speak confidentially about things you may never have talked about before. Humanistic integrative therapy is based on the belief that in an open, non-judgemental environment a person can make sense of their life experience and has the inner resources to heal.
An integrative approach does not adhere to one modality and incorporates various approaches to optimize a person’s ability to self-actualise. The sessions are person-centered in that the client is the one that determines what is important to discuss, while also integrating psychodynamic theories which may consider early experiences and patterns that impact our adult lives.
Sometimes talking about current problems or longstanding challenges may be difficult, but ultimately for therapy to be positive it also provides tools to manage life challenges and offer realistic solutions to encourage wellbeing. On occasions this will involve using techniques from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or from Solution Focused approaches.
What to expect?
For some people starting counselling may be very daunting and you may not know what to expect. It can take time to find the right therapist. The first session is an opportunity to ask questions, tell me why you are seeking therapy and to decide whether ongoing counselling will be beneficial. I will also outline how I work and after assessing your current circumstances discuss the best treatment to overcome the difficulties you are experiencing.
If we decide to continue working, usually we would agree on a suitable time to meet for regular sessions which usually last for fifty minutes. This provides the consistency for exploring deeper issues in a stable way. Sometimes clients may only want a few sessions or may choose to have open-ended therapy. To ensure you are getting the most from the process I will regularly review the work to evaluate whether it is meeting your requirements.
How can it help?
Nothing is off limits for discussion in therapy and anything you bring to the session will be treated with sensitivity, in a non-judgmental and open-minded way. Listed below are the most common issues and focus areas that clients bring to therapy
- Anxiety / Panic attacks / Managing stress
- Depression / Feeling low
- Anger management
- Recovering from emotional abuse
- Feeling lost in life and lacking direction
- Grief and Loss
- Relationship problems / Family issues
- Trauma / PTSD
- Self-esteem and low confidence
- Compulsive behaviours
- Addiction / Alcohol and substance misuse
- Making sense of childhood experiences
