What is counselling and the therapy I offer

I am trained as a person centered therapist (meaning the therapy I offer is client led) however, to tailor each session to each individual client, I will sometimes draw from other therapeutic modalities I am familiar with, such as creative/play therapy and gestalt. i.e. creative/play therapy can encourage some individuals who struggle to vocalise their emotions to explore them and open up through play, be that with toy type objects or with arts/crafts.

 

“Play therapy is based upon the fact that play is the natural medium of self expression…It is an opportunity which is given to the child to ‘play out’ his feelings and problems just as in certain types of adult therapy an individual ‘talks out’ his difficulties.” 

Virginia Axline.

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My role is to facilitate a safe, non-judgemental, comfortable, and confidential space so that a therapeutic alliance/a relationship can be built between myself and my client. A space where I can fully emerge into my client’s world to understand them and the obstacles, they may need to navigate through in order to begin to explore and find self-awareness and belief in themselves; a space to strengthen, discover, grow and learn. A space to be heard.

 

My role is to ensure and offer acceptance and understanding without telling someone what to do or how to fix a problem but to help clients discover what their problems may be, what difficulties they may be experiencing, what they want to do, what they want to achieve and why they want it, to help them see what they may be struggling to see and feel.

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I offer insight into feelings and emotions and sit alongside my clients to support them through it. Through listening, through exploration together and through trusting the process I help encourage clients to navigate through their obstacles, issues and emotions.

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It is a privilege to sit alongside my clients through everything that they are experiencing, to witness such courage through vulnerability, to see personal growth and observe client’s happiness evolve is my absolute honour.

 

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People come to counselling for many reasons, some people just want someone to talk to outside of their friends and family, some people just need to offload about day to day life, some require support through tough times, sometimes there may be specific ongoing or recent issues that need to be explored, sometimes it’s as simple as just having someone there and on occasion individuals are advised via other agencies to seek out therapy.

 

There really are no set reasons as to why individuals enter into therapy, the list of reasons is extensive; I have a large amount of  experience in many areas/reasons why people enter into therapy, these areas include (but are not limited to):

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• Anger

• Anxiety – i.e. social, generalised, health (both mental & physical)

• Behavioural issues

• Bullying

• Depression & Low Mood

• Exploring past and present events

• Exploring past and present traumas

• Exploring the window of tolerance

• Family issues

• Feelings of exclusion

• Friendship issues

• Overwhelm

• Regulation of emotions

• Regulation of the nervous system

• Relationship issues

• Self-harm & Self sabotage

• Stress

• Support for parents/carers

• Support for siblings

• Thoughts of suicide

• Understanding and exploring feelings and emotions

• Understanding of self

• Infidelity

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