What is counselling?

Counselling is a process where you can talk in confidence to a trained professional if you are struggling with difficult feelings, thoughts, and experiences. This may cause conflict within yourself or with others and may affect how you cope with everyday life or challenging situations. Perhaps you have always put others first and it is difficult to know what you want or need. Maybe you need to be seen and heard to be able to tell your story without fear of judgement. Or maybe you are looking to gain a better understanding of yourself and to make sense of your life experience.

My approach

As a counsellor, in order to best meet the unique needs of each of my clients, my approach to therapy is flexible and adaptable. This type of counselling often focuses on exploring past experiences and current challenges that are impacting your life. I understand the courage it takes to reach out for support, and I believe in the importance of establishing a warm, accepting therapeutic connection so that you feel comfortable being yourself and feel able to speak about what you need to. I am here to provide you with a confidential space where I can support you to allow yourself to express difficult feelings at a pace that feels comfortable for you and where you don’t have to pretend that everything is okay. My aim is to support you to develop a deeper understanding of the issues that are bothering you and to listen with curiosity, compassion and care. I also aim to offer you insights to help guide you towards realisations, to help you to find a way to live your life with a very real hope for the future and to encourage you to show yourself kindness and self-compassion. I will not judge you or try to influence your decisions in any way but instead will respect your ability to make your own choices in finding ways to move forward and to take your control back.

Alongside my private practice, I have worked at an adult mental health charity offering low-cost counselling. I volunteer as a bereavement supporter with a national bereavement charity and I am also a lecturer in counselling at a local college.

As a counsellor, I have experience of helping clients to manage and cope with difficult life events such as bereavement and loss, change in work and family dynamics, health challenges, upsetting or traumatic experiences both recent or past, difficult emotions such as sadness, anger, shame, low self-esteem and depression and anxiety.

I have a particular interest in offering therapy as an opportunity to be supported while you experience the seasons of flux and change in your life. Life transitions happen to us all, but this doesn’t make them any easier to navigate.

What you can expect

Before our first session, and before you commit to having counselling with me, I offer an initial brief telephone appointment which is free of charge so that we can discuss what you might like to talk about in your sessions and for you to ask any questions you may have. Once we have agreed to work together, we will arrange a mutually suitable, regular time to meet. In our first session, you will receive information about confidentiality, timings of sessions and the cancellation policy and there will be a contract for us both to sign which I will go over with you. I will do everything I can to make you feel welcome, respected and heard as we start working together.

I offer both short-term and long-term counselling.

I work from The Eaves in Farnham on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

I am also able to see clients at The Eaves in Guildford.

For an initial discussion and to book a session, please contact me via email or text message.