There are many good reasons to source a supportive counsellor. Sometime we can simply benefit from having a place to tell our story. Sometimes we might be faced with a specific problem, or aspect of change in our life we find difficult to navigate - it can be helpful to talk through our thoughts and feelings with another.
Talking through a problem with someone unconnected to the event, or experience, can often help with manifesting a new perspective, or plan of action. Sometimes talking with counsellor is useful in helping an individual to come to terms with a situation, or can be beneficial when moving through a period of grief, or adjusting to a new kind of life.
Sometimes a person can come to realise a negative pattern of behaviour is repeatedly showing up in their life, or relationships, and working with a counsellor can help to shed light on the root cause(s) of the issue - allowing for positive change to then transpire.
Monday - Friday:
🔸 9.30am - 8pm (latest to arrive)
🔸 Saturday by Arrangement
🔸 Phone by Arrangement
Costs:
🔸 Consultation Session (90 mins) £50.00
🔸 Follow-Up Sessions (60 mins) £40.00
📞 Telephone Session (60 mins) £40.00
Deciding which form of talking therapy or counselling you might benefit from most can feel daunting. What does it all mean? Counselling is a very generic term for a talking and listening relationship. Most counsellors in private practice will have attended university for at least three years (some four or more) and will have principally studied humanistic, behavioural, or psychodynamic models of psychology.
Professional counsellors will normally be members of an counselling association, such as the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) and will adhere to their code of ethics. In private practice many counsellors refer to themselves as ‘integrative therapists’. This means the counsellor is experienced and confident in working with a number of different theoretical counselling models - and is able to draw from their ‘therapist toolbox’ in order to best suit the needs of the individual client. CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) is but one model of mental health counselling.
Solution focused therapy is a time limited form of therapy - meaning the therapist and client focus on a particular goal and aim to complete the associated work within a limited number of sessions (often six).
Best advice is perhaps to pay less attention to the model of counselling on offer, and instead to focus more on sourcing a counsellor, or therapist, with whom you feel comfortable and at ease.
Please don’t hesitate to call, text or WhatsApp Nichola with any further questions, or to book a counselling session.
🔸 No waiting lists 🔸
Private counsellors can often provide an appointment fairly soon after you make contact.
🔸 More flexible hours 🔸
The working hours of private counsellors often extend into the evening and across the weekend.
🔸 Building a professional relationship 🔸
Sourcing a private counsellor provides you with the opportunity to build a longer term therapeutic relationship, meaning you can pop back to visit your therapist, as and when the need might arise, and share your problem with someone who already knows your story.
Availability & Booking
Please don’t hesitate to call, text or WhatsApp Nichola with any further questions, or to book a session.
Anxiety comes in many shapes and forms. Anxiety is a label we use to describe the state a person reaches when they are chronically stressed and their perception and thinking has become fearful and catastrophic. Anxious thinking is sometimes generalised. Other times certain topics, such as our health, the idea of air travel, or perhaps simply venturing outside might become a focus for intense fear based thinking. Anxiety is also heavily involved in a number of controlling behaviours, such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), eating disorders, addiction problems, as well as a variety of stress related physical disorders.
Self harming behaviours are a sign of a deeper problem, stress or upset. When a person finds it difficult to express their feelings openly, they can begin to take out their negative feelings on themselves. Most people initially tend to think of self harm as involving the body, but there are others ways people can self harm. Spending too much time engaged in addictive activities, such as online gaming, or posting on social media, can become a form of self harm. Abusing alcohol and/or drugs, not eating, over eating and throwing up after eating are also self harming behaviours.
Low Mood can feel a bit like being depressed, but the mood tends to shift relatively quickly. Low moods can manifest when we feel weary, or tired, and can be fairly common after a period of intensive activity, or stress.
Depression generally has deeper roots, often in childhood, but not always. Depression can last for weeks or months and feel incredibly debilitating. Depression is often accompanied by feelings of worthlessness, or a sense of detachment. Conflict, childbirth, debilitating illness and ageing can also prompt instances of depression.
Swamped in work, no support, micromanaged, bullying types and some rather bizarre sickness policies, all contribute to make work related stress a topic frequently discussed in counselling rooms.
Relationship difficulties also often show up for discussion in the counselling setting. Divorce, betrayal and affairs, communication and trust issues are a few of the more obvious problems. Co-dependent relationships, where a passive individual is controlled by a more dominant partner, are also common topics of conversation and exploration.
A number of mental health related problems have their roots in childhood and adolescent experiences, and so perhaps unsurprisingly, childhood experiences often come up for discussion in counselling and psychotherapy settings. In childhood we develop many of the ideas we hold about our innate worth, as well as our concepts about how we fit into the world. During childhood, because we are mostly powerless to change our environment, we are also the most vulnerable to challenges, both within the home and school.
Aside from more obvious instances of physical abuse and neglect, individuals can commonly develop mental health problems later in life associated with more emotionally based neglect, or abuse, during childhood, or adolescence. For example, absent parents, difficult divorces, emotionally immature or critical parents, and instances of bullying within the family can all plant seeds for problems later in life.
Sometimes those problems manifest as difficulties with adult relationships, or perhaps as some form of anxiety, or low self esteem. Sometimes repressed or unconscious feelings can be associated with controlling behaviours, such as OCD, or eating disorders, or perhaps as a self-harming behaviour, such as alcohol dependency, or a gambling addiction.
For other individuals difficult childhood experiences can go on to impact their physical health, leading to the development of a stress related illness.
Not all mental health problems are rooted in childhood. In some instances anxiety, or low mood, can begin to manifest on meeting with a variety of stressful life events.
Most people are aware big events such as a death in the family, relationship break-ups, moving home, job loss and serious illness can be responsible for bringing on feelings of stress. More recently we have endured a pandemic with all its associated change and stress. People were forced into isolation, experienced financial worries, health concerns and worries about vulnerable family members.
Work related issues, such as being overloaded with work, or a poor working relationship with a colleague can trigger feelings of stress. People can worry about their kids, their pets, or have concerns about the roof lasting another winter.
Feelings of stress can manifest when dealing with noisy neighbours, after suffering an accident or injury, or because of financial concerns, legal proceedings, infertility, or just about any other health related problems.
Nichola Gregory - Counselling & Wellness Services
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