Mark Rowden - Profile

Is life feeling just too much to cope with right now? Perhaps you are struggling with grief following a bereavement or another form of loss. Maybe your feeling anxious, depressed or overwhelmed. Could something from your past be impacting on how you are feeling?

Life has many challenges. When we are struggling it is okay to seek help. I am here to listen and support you. I offer a safe space where together we can explore what is going on, assist you gain awareness into what’s troubling you and look at what you would like to be different. My aim is that you will feel heard and understood on your journey of self-discovery.

It is my belief that we all have the capacity to change and that the therapeutic relationship built with the client is key to helping bring about personal growth and positive change.

As I consider each person is unique I work primarily with a person-centred approach which is at the core of my work. However as a qualified integrative counsellor I will draw on different theoretical models in order to provide a personalised approach.

I offer a chance to reflect on the difficulties or problems you are experiencing in a safe and confidential environment, with someone from outside your day-to-day life. Together we can explore your situation in a way that leads to fresh perspectives – and perhaps a new understanding of yourself. Counselling isn’t about giving you solutions or advice, but empowering you to make your own changes.

I enjoy working with people from all walks of life and backgrounds, who come to me with a diverse range of problems. As a fully-qualified Counsellor, I am a member of both the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, and the Association of Christians in Counselling and Linked Professions, and abide by their code of ethics.

I appreciate it can seem overwhelming when looking for a counsellor especially if this is the first time you have considered counselling. Therefore to help I offer an initial 20 minutes session by telephone or Zoom. In this session we can discuss why you are considering counselling at this time and how you hope it will help. There will be no charge for this initial session.

Hopefully this initial session will give both of us an opportunity to get a sense of whether we feel we will be able to work together. It does take time to develop the client/counsellor relationship but it is very important that you feel that I’m someone that you will be comfortable working with.

I offer both short – 6-12 weeks and long term face to face, online and telephone counselling. Online sessions are held over Zoom. The sessions are 50 minutes long.

Before starting my private practice I worked for two charities Emmaus Counselling (Guildford) and Crossways Counselling (Haslemere). I also worked as a Listening Volunteer for the Samaritans (Guildford).