New Balance Counselling

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Therapeutic Counselling

Therapeutic counselling, commonly known as therapy, is the process of discussing and working through personal issues that impact you emotionally.

My approach to therapy is rooted in 'humanistic counselling'. You, as an individual with your unique personal story, will be at the core of each session. This supportive and therapeutic method emphasizes your personal growth and development while enhancing your understanding of yourself. My practice is deeply influenced by Carl Rogers' person-centred theory, and I incorporate concepts from various humanistic modalities, including transactional analysis, gestalt, and solution-focused therapy, tailored to your specific needs.

I also embrace creativity in my approach, thinking outside the box and utilizing metaphors, objects, toys, and drawing or diagrams to aid our discussions

You are encouraged to speak freely about whatever you wish to discuss. I will be right there with you, listening to everything you share and providing a safe space for you to process your emotions.

As an experienced counsellor, you can trust that I am willing to explore deep topics with you if that is your desire. You will have the opportunity to express yourself openly, without any judgment or analysis from me. You can truly 'go there', wherever that may lead you, as long as you feel comfortable doing so.

If you are new to counselling, it is completely normal to feel apprehensive about sharing your deepest feelings and secrets with someone who is essentially a stranger. I want to reassure you that I will never pressure you to discuss anything you are not ready to share. I will follow your lead, as the initial sessions are crucial for building a strong therapeutic relationship.

Together, we will get to know each other, fostering trust and understanding as we work towards helping you reach a place of personal growth that you aspire to be.

Even if you have experienced counselling before, your journey with me may feel very different. Each counsellor has their unique style, and one of the most critical elements of successful counselling is finding the right match for you. As in life, if you don't connect with someone, it's challenging to open up to them.

Finding a counsellor you can trust is essential.

have more questions about Counselling?

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Is Counselling for me?

Counselling is for anyone seeking emotional support to address issues affecting them in some way. You don’t need to be in the depths of depression or have experienced significant trauma to seek counselling. A genuine desire for personal growth and moving forward in your life is sufficient. This aligns with Carl Rogers' theory of humanistic counselling, which emphasizes the importance of self-actualization and personal development.

Often, people feel as though someone else deserves their session more than they do. This is absolutely not the case. You are equally entitled to come along for emotional support as anyone else, and I will never judge you for whatever you wish to discuss. I currently offer counselling for individuals aged 16 years and older.

Some reasons you may be considering counselling include:

- Unfulfilled potential

- Lack of meaning or direction in life

- Work-related stress

- Depression/low mood

- Rape (recent or historical)

- Abuse

- Domestic violence

- Low self-esteem

- Lack of confidence

- Childhood issues

- Sexuality issues/confusion

- Self-harm

- Trauma/PTSD

- Shame

- Guilt

- Worry

- Stress

- Anxiety

- Anger

- Fear

- Loss

- Bereavement

- Change in circumstances

- Life transitions

- Identity issues

- PMS, PMDD

- Perimenopause, menopause

While you decide on the frequency of sessions, I strongly suggest having at least 4-6 sessions weekly at first. This helps establish a solid therapeutic working relationship, allowing you to maximize your benefits from therapy, in line with the humanistic counselling approach. After this, you may choose to continue weekly or adjust to fortnightly, monthly, or just whenever you need a ‘check in’.

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Benefits of counselling

Here are just some of the potential benefits that counselling, grounded in Carl Rogers' theory of humanistic counselling, can provide:

- Improved self-esteem & confidence

- Self-acceptance

- Increased control of your life

- Come to terms with the past

- Improved assertiveness

- A sense of empowerment

- Clarity of issues

- Better expression and management of your emotions

- See things more objectively

- Change self-defeating behaviour

- Relief from depression

- Understand and manage stress

- Resolution of problems

- Increased self-awareness

- Less fearful

- More able to 'let go' of things that are holding you back

Some of the benefits that my past clients have found helpful have been described as being able to:

"put the jigsaw pieces together and make more sense of your life and myself"

"have a look inside that box that's been locked away for so long"

"unravel that big, knotted ball of wool"

"pick out all of the beans from the tin of baked beans in tomato sauce, because I like the beans and I don't like the sauce!"

As your counsellor, I promise that you will receive the emotional support you need and be fully accepted for who you are and what you say, reflecting the principles of humanistic counselling. I will provide you with a supportive, non-judgemental setting in which to explore any issue you need. You will be able to express your feelings openly with me, and I will be respectful at all times. Your wellbeing and personal growth are my priority.

You may decide to come along for a check-in even after a year or two has passed, because that's what you might need, and that's ok! Life happens! We can discuss whatever it is you feel you need at any time.

My door is always open, so to speak. I offer this so that you will never be limited, nor ever have to ‘start all over again’ with anyone else. In contrast, you are never under any obligation to stay or continue. You must always do what is right for you.

Online counselling option

Therapeutic counselling, commonly known as therapy, is the process of discussing and working through personal issues that impact you emotionally. My approach to therapy is rooted in humanistic counselling, where you, as an individual with your unique personal story, will be at the core of each session. This supportive and therapeutic method emphasizes your personal growth and development while enhancing your understanding of yourself. My practice is deeply influenced by Carl Rogers' person-centred theory, and I incorporate concepts from various humanistic modalities, including transactional analysis, gestalt, and solution-focused therapy, all tailored to your specific needs.

I also embrace creativity in my approach, thinking outside the box and utilizing metaphors, objects, toys, and drawing or diagrams to aid our discussions. You are encouraged to speak freely about whatever you wish to discuss. I will be right there with you, listening to everything you share and providing a safe space for you to process your emotions.

Together, we will get to know each other, fostering trust and understanding as we work towards helping you reach a place of personal growth that you aspire to be. Even if you have experienced counselling before, your journey with me may feel very different. Each counsellor has their unique style, and one of the most critical elements of successful counselling is finding the right match for you. As in life, if you don't connect with someone, it's challenging to open up to them. Finding a counsellor you can trust is essential.

Telephone counselling option

Frequently asked questions about counselling

● Do I need to do anything before my first session?

If we are meeting in person, you don't need to do anything else in advance of your first session. Just come as you are, and I will take you as I find you. It's natural to feel apprehensive before your first session; I remember my first therapy session! You will be very welcome as we focus on your emotional support and personal growth through humanistic counselling.

If you are having online or phone sessions, I will send you a counselling agreement form to read and complete before your first session.

● What will happen in my first session?

Your first session is an opportunity for us to get to know each other and explore your emotional support needs. It will last 50-60 minutes, during which you can share what led you to seek humanistic counselling. We will also discuss how this approach may facilitate your personal growth.

There is no right or wrong way to approach the session. Everyone has different needs, and this initial meeting will help us both understand what yours are.

If you are having an online or phone session, I recommend finding a safe, private place to talk, where you cannot be overheard. The less interruption and distraction there is for you, the more you are likely to benefit from the session.

● How many sessions will I need?

It really depends on what you hope to achieve through counselling, as people seek emotional support for various reasons and attend humanistic counselling for different lengths of time, ranging from 6-8 weeks to many months and beyond.

I would strongly encourage you to commit to at least 4 sessions initially, as it is common to feel slightly worse before you start to feel better when various aspects of your life come to the surface. It's crucial not to discontinue attending in those initial sessions if you want to facilitate your personal growth and work through your challenges.

During your first session, we will discuss the number of sessions that might be appropriate for you, and we will conduct regular reviews if therapy continues past 6 weeks.

● Do you offer advice?

No. Offering advice is not something I do. The discussions we have during humanistic counselling sessions will focus on providing you with emotional support and helping you understand your individual circumstances. Together, we will explore the different options available to you, encouraging personal growth as we work through them to find the right path for you.

If I were to offer advice, it would only be my opinion, and it may not be the best fit for your unique situation.

● Will you give me homework between sessions?

No! All of what we do takes place during your counselling sessions focused on providing emotional support. While you may think about things yourself in between sessions and choose to do your own research or homework, I will not set you any specific tasks, as our approach is rooted in humanistic counselling that fosters personal growth.

● Can we message in between sessions?

Messaging or emailing in between sessions is primarily for practical matters, such as scheduling or letting me know if you are running late. Generally, it is advisable to wait until your next session to discuss topics related to your emotional support and personal growth. If there’s something urgent you feel you can’t wait to talk about, it may be helpful to write it down and bring it with you to your scheduled session.

However, if you believe it's important to share something with me before your next session, please feel free to reach out. I will read your message thoroughly, but do keep in mind that I may not be able to provide a comprehensive reply; I will do my utmost to acknowledge that I have received your message.

If you are in crisis and need immediate support, please do not contact me initially.

For further information and contacts, please click here.

● Can I bring someone with me?

The counselling agreement is just between you and me, so I would ask that you attend the session without anyone else present. Humanistic counselling is focused on you and your experiences, providing a space for your personal growth and allowing you to truly be yourself. While those close to you may offer emotional support, being around them can unconsciously influence how you express yourself. Having someone else in the session might be counter-productive to your progress.

If you feel you need to bring someone along, perhaps because you are feeling nervous about your first session, I suggest they can be present for the first 5-10 minutes to help you settle in and feel comfortable. However, therapy will begin only after they have left the room.

If you feel unable to attend a session alone, I would be happy to discuss whether this approach aligns with your needs for emotional support at this time.

● How do online and phone sessions work?

For online video sessions, I suggest using Google Meet as it is a safe, secure, and private platform ideal for emotional support. You can connect on a PC, laptop, or smartphone. I will simply send you a meeting link by email on the morning of your appointment, which you can click at the time of your scheduled session to connect.

If you prefer a different platform to Google Meet for our humanistic counselling sessions, I’m open to using another one; just mention it beforehand.

If you'd rather not engage via video, there is always the option of a telephone session. Many have found telephone sessions to be a very personal experience, allowing for focused therapeutic conversation that contributes to personal growth.

You can choose to have sessions with video or without, and you may switch between formats at any time and for any reason.

● Why should I choose you as my counsellor?

I will accept you NO MATTER WHAT you tell me. I will never judge you regardless of any differences between us. I encourage you to be as open and honest about your feelings and circumstances as you feel you can be so that we can work together to help you achieve personal growth.

Research has shown that the most successful results gained from counselling occur when there is trust between a client and counsellor. The more honest you can be with me about what you are thinking, feeling, and going through, the more you will benefit from the emotional support I provide through humanistic counselling. It is for this reason I feel it is important that, as an established and experienced counsellor, you know you can trust me and be honest with me without any fear of judgement or analysis.

● Do you offer counselling for children under 16 years old?

No. I have experience working as a children's counsellor in schools and colleges, as well as privately, providing emotional support. However, my current focus is not on this area of work. If you are seeking humanistic counselling for children, I would be happy to offer you recommendations that can assist in their personal growth.

● Are sessions confidential?

The content of your sessions will remain confidential, yes, and whatever you share with me will be treated with great respect and without judgement, especially as we explore your personal growth through emotional support and humanistic counselling. I will never share your personal information. There are some exceptions to this confidentiality, which I will explain in our first meeting.

● When are you available and how do I book?

I'm available for daytime appointments from Monday to Thursday, focusing on emotional support and humanistic counselling to foster your personal growth. My availability changes on a daily basis, but I will endeavor to see you as soon as possible. Simply contact me and let me know when you are available for an appointment (the more options you give me, the better), and I'll be back in touch to offer you a date and time that suits us both. If I'm available straight away, I'll see you straight away! I'm currently available during daytime hours.