Counselling

Counselling is about change and growth. Everyone has times in their lives where they feel challenged, low, anxious or frustrated. For many of us, friends and family provide the ear we need, but there are times when, for many reasons, troubles and anxieties cannot be shared with those close to us. Life can sometimes seem overwhelming or out of control. We may be unable to see a way forward or be experiencing difficulties which stem from things which happened in the past or from present life-changing events. That sense of being out of control can be destabilising and unsettling. If you are reading this page, it may be that you have reached the point where you feel things need to improve and that you could do with some help and support in making that happen. Whatever your concerns are at the moment, counselling can give you a calm, private space to think through and make the changes you need to make to regain a sense of control over your life.

Counselling room at The Calm Within, Bury

Deciding to have counselling takes courage. It may be that the issues or anxieties you are experiencing are things which you have not shared with any else. A good therapeutic relationship between the client and the counsellor is very important in helping to bring about the positive change you need to improve your life. So it matters that you choose someone who is right for you and with whom you make a positive connection. Finding a counsellor can be a bewildering process and I hope that this page will help you to decide whether I can offer the kind of counselling which will be beneficial to you or to someone you know. It may be that you are experiencing difficulties around stressful or traumatic life events, and counselling can be a way of working out how to move forward. You may, for example, be experiencing a painful loss or bereavement, separation, divorce, redundancy. Perhaps you feel you have low self-esteem or are lacking in confidence or are struggling with your sense of identity. Sometimes we need privacy and space to find a resolution to a situation, and to gain confidence in our ability to manage our own challenges in the future. Whatever difficulties you may be facing, counselling can be an effective and long-lasting way of dealing with them.


AIM OF COUNSELLING

The aim of counselling is to provide a safe and confidential space in which to explore your concerns and feelings, or to reflect on the issues which are affecting you. Your counsellor will create an accepting and non-judgemental environment, where you can be helped to discover what might be the underlying causes of your unhappiness or anxiety. You can work out ways of living more effectively and achieve a greater sense of well-being, all of which will free you to lead a more full and rewarding life. Counselling is a process by which you and your therapist can develop a unique, confidential, supportive relationship. Having someone to talk to can be a really effective way of enabling you to take control of your life, work out what is making you feel stuck, overcome whatever issues are impacting negatively on you and move forward. The privacy and confidentially of the therapy room can provide the opportunity to talk about thoughts and feelings which you might otherwise feel unable to share.

 

MY APPROACH

I am a qualified counsellor and a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

My core training is Person Centred, which is the basis for all the work I undertake and is based on empathy, honesty and being authentic. Each client is accepted and valued as himself or herself. I offer a confidential, safe place where you are heard. I give you time to explore problem areas in your life within a non-judgemental, open and trusting relationship. The aim is to help you to understand yourself more and to reach your potential, perhaps finding resolutions or developing coping strategies. My counselling sessions take place in strict confidence, and I remain impartial and non-judgemental. I aim to develop a relationship of mutual trust, empathy and challenge. The therapy room is a safe space in which you are able to share the load of whatever it is that is preventing you from feeling in control of your life. I have worked effectively with many different individuals, presenting with many different issues, and I will always allow your specific needs to inform the way we work, introducing techniques or suggestions to help you to understand and find a solution to your situation. Together we can begin to understand why you are struggling, addressing the way past situations, relationships and events may have impacted on your life, and finding practical ways of dealing with stress to improve the way that you feel.

I believe that we all hold within us the answer to our own problems and that the therapeutic relationship between client and counsellor is a unique and powerful one, which can lead to the resolution of issues in a lasting and effective way. The personal strength which comes from finding your own solution can remain with you and be drawn upon in the future.

Different ways in which we may work include (but are not limited to):

  • Talking together

  • Using creative tools, such as symbols, pictures, figures, nesting dolls or artwork such as collages or drawing (you don’t need to be a qualified artist!)

  • Inner-child work, in which you get to know and understand the child inside you, learning to love and accept yourself at a deeper level.

  • Psycho-education, in which I will share with you areas of understanding I hope will be beneficial, including learning more about neurodivergence, anxiety, the window of tolerance, stress responses, good sleep hygiene and more.

  • Relaxation techniques, including breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, visualisation and grounding techniques.

 

MAKING AN APPOINTMENT

After an initial conversation by email or phone we will arrange an appointment as soon as we can.

  • The First session

The first session is for you to tell me about yourself, and to look at the issues you would like to explore. You can ask any questions you may have about how I work or the about the therapy process in general. The initial session should give us a good idea as to whether we want to work together and continue with further sessions. It has taken a great deal of courage to seek counselling and it is important that you feel that you have made the right choice and that I am the right person for you. If we decide to work together, I would usually suggest an initial commitment of 6 sessions, (but for some people, longer or shorter term therapy is what they need). At that point we will review the work together and decide to either come to an ending, or to continue with ongoing sessions. The initial 6 sessions can often help decide whether short term work or working on a more open ended basis is appropriate for you.

  • How long is a session and how many will I need?

Sessions last 50 minutes and usually take place on a weekly or fortnightly basis, at a regular time. The number of sessions will vary from person to person. Sometimes three to six sessions are enough for you to experience significant positive change, but for some people, longer term therapy is what they feel they need. This is something which we can decide on together.

  • How long will it take for me to start to feel better?

This will depend on the particular difficulties you are experiencing. For a lot of people it can be a huge relief even in the first session to be able to share difficulties that you have been dealing with. It is not unusual to go through a time of feeling worse, before one feels better and this can in fact be an important part of the process. Your counsellor is there to support you as you work through difficult periods.

If you have other questions about counselling or my practice, please do have a look at the FAQs section or send me a message.

For an initial chat please give me a call on 07970 856719 or fill out the form on the contact page.

To find out more about counselling and the BACP, please click here.