Counselling can help with both past and present issues that affect our day to day lives. Sometimes life gets on top of us and we need someone non judgmental to talk it through with. Sometimes events in our past that caused intense emotion, can be triggered and cause us pain and discomfort in the present, even causing us to behave or react in a way that we aren’t comfortable with. For example, experiencing mood swings, panic attacks, or outpourings of emotion. We cannot change the past, but we can better understand it and find new ways to feel and think about it. Through counselling, many people are able to reduce discomfort, regain a sense of control, and improve their wellbeing.
It is a privilege to hear client’s life experiences, and to help them unpack and make sense of them in order to find a way forward that is meaningful to them. We often compare ourselves to others, but your life journey and the way you experience it, is unique to you, which is worthy of recognition. It isn’t always easy to see this, especially if we are feeling low, anxious, stressed, ashamed, or unworthy; but a safe space with a good counsellor can help you to make some sense of it, and put the pieces of the puzzle together.
About Counselling
I have experience working with mental health and wellbeing organisations, and now run a private practice in Bishopston, north Bristol, just off the Gloucester Road. My professional accredited training took 3.5 years and I am a fully qualified counsellor and psychotherapist, registered with the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society. My training was modern and based on a Pluralistic model; covering Humanist Person-Centred theory/approaches, Psychodynamic theory/approaches, and Cognitive Behavioural (CBT) theory/approaches. What this really means, is that I can bring insight into exploring your past, present and future, including analysing thought patterns. I regularly attend training in a broad range of areas in mental health in order to keep my knowledge and skills up to date.
In a professional capacity, I have been supporting people’s growth and development, in one way or another, for over 25 years. The foundation of my work has always been to listen carefully and ask relevant questions, to gain an understanding of the people I support, in order to help them develop a deeper understanding of themselves and their experiences.
I have worked in a few different sectors, giving me a broad insight into the different challenges and stresses we face as individuals; and am familiar with the pressures of juggling work and parenting! I have previous experience working in the public and private sectors; within media, telecoms, education, social enterprise, and hospitality. The thing I have always found most rewarding and meaningful within these roles, is engaging and understanding the people I work with.
