aims of counselling
It can often feel as if nobody has time to listen. So when we’re faced with personal problems or conflicts, or simply wish to explore our inner thoughts and feelings, we may be reluctant to ask family and friends for help. In such situations, professional counselling can be helpful.
Seeking counselling can be a positive step towards making changes. Having a dedicated time to talk and be listened to by someone trained for that purpose can help bring insight, perspective, and a greater sense of wellbeing to your life.
what to expect in an initial session
At an initial session I will take a brief history including what’s led you to seek help now. I will explain that we’ll explore your early experiences within your family of origin and how these experiences will have shaped who you’ve become as an adult. We will discuss what you hope to gain by engaging in the counselling process and what might be achieved depending on whether the work is short term or more open ended. This first meeting will also provide an opportunity for us to gauge if we feel we’d like to work together. If I believe that counselling is not the most appropriate course of action for you, we will discuss what other options might be available.
the kinds of problems and issues I can help you with
We all respond differently to difficult situations, and with gentle exploration, I will work with you to help you make sense of your current circumstances whatever they may be.
Here are some of the many issues I work with in therapy:
- relationship problems between partners, friends and family members. I have a particular interest in mother/daughter relationships
- women’s issues
- problems at work, school or university
- anxiety (including climate anxiety)
- depression
- issues relating to confidence and self-esteem
- bereavement
- chronic physical conditions
- trauma-informed therapy