If this is the first time you are seeking help, then you might be wondering if counselling is for you and how it works. I know how difficult it is to seek out and ask for help but you are not alone. I work in a gentle way to support you through tough times and help you build yourself back to where you really want to be. Let me tell you about my approach and how I can help you:

 

I work in a 'relational' way, meaning that I work with kindness, curiosity and compassion to value you and your perspective during our time together. We will sit together and you can tell me what is troubling you in your own time. I won't push you to talk about the things that you are not ready to discuss yet because, at some point, you will know when you are ready to discuss the things that you may never have spoken about with anyone else before.

 

I will listen carefully to you, making no judgements at all but I don't give advice. Instead I believe that you have everything you need inside you already, my job is to help you find your own answers. Over time I can help you to make better sense of your feelings, thoughts and your situation. Together we can work out patterns of behaviour and recognise how these impact on your life. 

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Counselling often includes working through events both now and in the past as well as relationships with significant people in your life now and from childhood. We can get stuck in patterns of behaviour without realising it and looking back in time can often illuminate why we feel or behave as we do in the here and now. For example you may feel frightened or silenced by someone else's anger at work yet otherwise, in most situations, you are able to feel confident and able, this may be a puzzle, yet uncovering past events in your life can help illuminate why this happens to you. Being able to spot these connections can be the first step to deciding how and what you want to change. Our focus can then be on helping you to make these changes and become you again. As you can see, this can take time as unravelling the past is never easy and making changes can also be a bumpy ride.

 

Counselling can help you clarify and strengthen your sense of self. This ‘simply talking, exploring and being truly heard’ can enable you to feel more vital, connected and valued, ready to live your life to the full. Changing yourself on the inside can change the way you see yourself and the world, leading to greater self understanding and a more positive life.