What counselling can help with:

Many clients tell me the difference counselling makes for them is having someone outside of family and friends who cares for them, listens with interest and attention, but is not personally involved with them.

Clients often have said, even though they have a good support network, they do not wish to burden those close to them with their own difficulties and distress. Sometimes in our life we may feel we do not have anyone close to us who would be able to give us their time and energy while we are struggling.

Sometimes we need a space just for us where there is no expectation to reciprocate the support offered; where we can talk freely without fear of judgment, or expectations of the other person for us to behave a certain way.

‘When the other person is hurting, confused, troubled, anxious, alienated, terrified; or when he or she is doubtful of self-worth, uncertain as to identity, then understanding is called for’

(Rogers, 1980, pp. 160-1)

Counselling can offer us a time just for ourselves to focus on what is unsettling, puzzling, disturbing, frustrating or frightening. If we are confused and stuck, going over and over the same difficulties in our head, counselling can offer a chance to externalise these thoughts and explore the feelings and aim to uncover personal meanings.

I can help you make sense of the confusion and help you see who you are and who you can become. I can help you gain clarity of what is the root of the problem and what might be keeping the problem going in the present.

“In my early professional years, I was asking the question: How can I treat, or cure, or change this person? Now I would phrase the question in this way: How can I provide a relationship which this person may use for his own personal growth?”

(Rogers, 1961, p.32)

My main areas of experience and interest are working with clients who are experiencing:

• loss and bereavement

death of a loved one, plus secondary losses of your ‘cheer leader’ and companion, changing roles and responsibilities, reduced sense of safety and confidence; living with sadness and unfinished business when others may expect you to be just as you were before; your own awareness of your own mortality.

non-death losses

the end of a relationship, loss of trust, self-esteem

• life stages and transitions

for instance the pain, confusion, guilt and disruption connected to parenting, retirement, menopause, aging process, ‘empty nest’

• identity, sexuality and gender issues

exploring sexuality; exploring gender diversity; living as a minority, experiencing microaggressions, prejudice and abuse

neurodivergence (particularly being autistic or an ADHDer)

living with the stresses and challenges of finding your way in a world set up for neurotypical folk. I am a parent of ND adult children and have a rich professional experience of counselling a large number of people who are autistic and/or ADHD

• long term health conditions

how health conditions (whether newly developed or longstanding) impact on your sense of self, your mood, your energy, motivation and priorities through living with diagnoses of ME, MS, fibromyalgia, diabetes, heart conditions, eczema, for instance.

• existential issues

How has the 'old me' gone? Who am I now? Who will I be? What is my purpose?

• redundancy, retirement and unemployment

perhaps processing feelings of shock, fear, worry, guilt, shame, living with change and uncertainty

• work-related stress and distress

workload, work-life balance, bullying, threat of job loss, dissatisfaction, exploring decision-making for changes in direction

• life limiting health issues and palliative issues

e.g. adjusting to living with your own health issues or those of a loved one, for instance cancer, MS, dementia, strokes

• disability, mobility challenges and living with sensory losses

living in an inaccessible and non-inclusive world; changes in abilities and independence

• decision-making

helping you explore areas of confusion or concern, giving you space to feel more confident with what is best for you

• Personal development

during further counselling training and for senior accreditation; for working on continuous improvement and increased self-awareness, perhaps building on the achievements you have made through previous therapy

What counselling can help with:

Many clients tell me the difference counselling makes for them is having someone outside of family and friends who cares for them, listens with interest and attention, but is not personally involved with them.

Sometimes we need a space just for us where there is no expectation to reciprocate the support offered; where we can talk freely without fear of judgment, or expectations of the other person for us to behave a certain way.

‘When the other person is hurting, confused, troubled, anxious, alienated, terrified; or when he or she is doubtful of self-worth, uncertain as to identity, then understanding is called for’

(Rogers, 1980, pp. 160-1)

I can help you make sense of the confusion and help you see who you are and who you can become. I can help you gain clarity of what is the root of the problem and what might be keeping the problem going in the present.

“In my early professional years, I was asking the question: How can I treat, or cure, or change this person? Now I would phrase the question in this way: How can I provide a relationship which this person may use for his own personal growth?”

(Rogers, 1961, p.32)

My main areas of experience and interest are working with clients who are experiencing:

• loss and bereavement

non-death losses

the end of a relationship, loss of trust, self-esteem

• life stages and transitions

for instance the pain, confusion, guilt and disruption connected to parenting, retirement, menopause, aging process, ‘empty nest’

• identity, sexuality and gender issues

exploring sexuality; exploring gender diversity; living as a minority, experiencing microaggressions, prejudice and abuse

neurodivergence (particularly being autistic or an ADHDer)

living with the stresses and challenges of finding your way in a world set up for neurotypical folk. I am a parent of ND adult children and have a rich professional experience of counselling a large number of people who are autistic and/or ADHD

• long term health conditions

how health conditions (whether newly developed or longstanding) impact on your sense of self, your mood, your energy, motivation and priorities through living with diagnoses of ME, MS, fibromyalgia, diabetes, heart conditions, eczema, for instance.

• existential issues

How has the 'old me' gone? Who am I now? Who will I be? What is my purpose?

• redundancy, retirement and unemployment

perhaps processing feelings of shock, fear, worry, guilt, shame, living with change and uncertainty

• work-related stress and distress

workload, work-life balance, bullying, threat of job loss, dissatisfaction, exploring decision-making for changes in direction

• life limiting health issues and palliative issues

e.g. adjusting to living with your own health issues or those of a loved one, for instance cancer, MS, dementia, strokes

• disability, mobility challenges and living with sensory losses

living in an inaccessible and non-inclusive world; changes in abilities and independence

• decision-making

helping you explore areas of confusion or concern, giving you space to feel more confident with what is best for you

• Personal development

during further counselling training and for senior accreditation; for working on continuous improvement and increased self-awareness, perhaps building on the achievements you have made through previous therapy