Counselling is all about change, changing things that we can and accepting those we cannot. Once you have an awareness and understanding of why things are happening in your life, you have the opportunity to make changes.  For whatever reason you decided to have counselling, positive change will occur when you commit to changing your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.

Counselling is often the first place where disturbing, distressing and perhaps traumatic memories and events are acknowledged. It is important that you are prepared for this. Be honest about the material you feel comfortable working on yet be open enough to trust me.  A good clinician is attuned to their clients’ experiences and knows when to alter the pace and direction of the intervention.

The relationship between us is key to supporting you in your journey. It is therefore important for you to choose a counsellor that makes you feel safe, accepted and treated with respect and perhaps also challenges you in a positive constructive way.

You’ll get the best results from your counselling if you’re open and honest and say how you’re really feeling. This includes being able to give me honest feedback on how you feel about your counselling and how we’re working together.

I would describe my working style as being respectful and collaborative.  Whilst I am supportive, empathetic, and compassionate, I can also be very direct, interjecting when needed, so it's important to let your feelings be known to me.

The ending of sessions is important. It is a time to take stock of what has been achieved and look at what is next for you. Therefore, it is important that we end well; respectfully reviewing your journey and saying goodbye.

I specialise in helping people with anxiety, low self-esteem and relationships issues and I often find that these go hand in hand. In addition, there are often underlying issues such as stress, depression, grief and childhood trauma. This list is not exhaustive, and I work holistically with all these issues.

I am also passionate about supporting neurodivergent and LGBTQ+ individuals.

Counselling for Anxiety and low Self-esteem

I understand from personal experience how debilitating anxiety and low self-esteem can be. I also know how frustrating it is when someone suggests the common coping strategies, such as square breathing and expecting you to magically feel better.

We are all different and what works for one person may not work for another. If you would like some coping strategies and grounding techniques to help with the physical symptoms of anxiety, I will happily teach you some. More importantly, I will help you explore what may be causing your anxiety and/or low self-esteem, and together we will work in various ways to overcoming this.

Imagine a life without anxiety and/or low self-esteem holding you back. I can help you to achieve that and would be honoured to be a part of that journey.

Counselling for Relationship issues

Our relationships with our family, friends and work colleagues are a hugely important part of our lives. When we are having issues with one of these relationships, it tends to impact on other areas.

Many people come to me with relationship issues difficulties with their relationship with their: spouse/partner, parents, siblings, children, work colleagues or boss, and it’s making them miserable.

We explore these difficulties and what may be causing them so that changes can be made. Whilst we cannot change the way another person behaves and reacts, we can influence these behaviours and responses by adapting how we behave and communicate.

There are often patterns in our relationships, caused by our core beliefs, our behaviours and our communications style. Recognising these patterns is the first step to making changes to break this cycle.

Together we can explore these issues, even if the relationship is in the past, so that you can heal, better understand yourself and possibly the other person. This understanding is the first step in making changes that will improve and strengthen your relationship.

Neurodivergent individuals

I have a lived experience of neurodiversity and understand the challenges and the benefits that it brings. I work predominately with people with ADHD, although have experience supporting those with ASD.

Most counselling theories and approached were designed by neurotypical people for neurotypical people and therefore not always useful to us. Whether you are seeking support with identity, emotional regulation, anxiety, low-self-esteem, relationship issues, or navigating everyday challenges, I have learnt to adapt these traditional approaches to meet your individual needs and experiences. Whether you have a formal diagnosis, are awaiting an assessment, or suspect that you are neurodivergent, I will adapt my approach to meet your individual needs.

LGBTQ+ individuals

I work with a sensitive and affirming approach that honours your lived experience and unique journey. Whilst I may offer gentle challenge around thinking and behaviours, I will not criticise or judge your gender identity or sexuality. I can support you whilst navigating identity, relationships and life transitions, or with any other issue you choose to bring to counselling.

Next steps and what to expect

Please click                   for information about fees and location.

Initial contact 

You can contact me via telephone, email or by using the contact form below. I am often with clients, but I will respond within 24 hours.

Introductory call (telephone or online)

The purpose of this call is for us to get to know each other a little. We can briefly discuss what brings you to counselling and I will suggest an approach for working together. Please note: this is not a counselling session.

Should you wish to continue we book the first session. It’s important to find the right counsellor for you and if we decide you would be better served with an alternative professional, I can provide recommendations or signposting.

Your first session

I will email you a copy of the working agreement and the client take on form in advance of this session.

The take on form is information I am required to collect to keep you safe and includes, name, address, preferred method of contact, GP details, and medications.

We go through the admin at the start of this session. This includes checking I have the intake form completed in full and signing our working agreement.

To know how best to help you, I need to understand more about you and your current issues, and what you would like to gain from our time together. This is discussed and together we will decide on the best approach for our work. This sometimes takes the whole session but if it doesn’t we start work.

Subsequent sessions

The approach taken and how we work together will be decided during your first session. This will be unique to you and your individual needs.