Life has a habit of presenting us with challenges, often in the form of problems or crises. We can experience these as painful and confusing thoughts and feelings.

Most of the time we can manage to cope with these difficulties in our lives, however, sometimes we can experience them as anxiety, depression or a sense of hopelessness. We can feel thoughts that seem to go round and round in our minds without ever being resolved.

Sometimes a client will come with a problem and then find it has its roots in some past experience. By working with the client and exploring what they bring, it often highlights those troublesome experiences. Further gentle exploration may then bring a whole new outlook on life with the client finding a renewed confidence in themselves and motivation for life itself.

Qualified Counsellors

When something is troubling us it often helps to talk to a professional in confidence. Through gently exploring our anxieties and feelings, we can gain a greater understanding and begin to make sense of them and deal with them. A qualified counsellor can provide that professional support. It is important therefore, for the client to be sure that the counsellor is fully qualified and a member of a nationally recognised body such as the BACP, British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists, or UKCP.

Person-Centred Counselling

Person-Centred Counsellors work from the philosophy that clients have all the resources necessary to know that is best; that if the right conditions are provided, the client will be able to better understand themselves. In the climate of a trusting and respectful relationship, the counsellor is able to enter into and understand the experience of the client and therefore provide the necessary conditions for change.

All of us are unique individuals and sometimes I will use an integrative approach, using other theoretical models of counselling to inform the process if that seems appropriate.

Confidentiality

Counselling and Psychotherapy is a strictly confidential, non-judgemental therapy. This is an essential aspect of the counselling relationship. What is discussed between the counsellor and the client is treated with respect and discretion. Only in very specific circumstances, which are made clear and agreed during the initial session, would any information ever be made available to anyone else.

As a Member of the BACP,I adhere to all their princliples of ethics and codes of practice. "www.bacp.co.uk"

Testimonials

What a client brings to a session is confidential and gently explored within the boundaries of what the client brings, but people often fear going to counselling, either because they are unsure of what to expect or because they fear it carries a stigma. However, once a client has taken that step to get help, they are usually glad they did.

What clients say

The testimonials below are all bona fide written testimonials from clients who were happy to give them, but to protect their confidentiality I have only given an initial or first name.

Sarah and Tim."Our sessions with Lynda provided a warm and open environment where we felt able to go on a journey of self-exploration without fear or judgement or criticism. Lynda allowed us the freedom to explore what was really underlying any current particular situation/emotion and helped us to develop the tools to move positively forward. Our sessions with Lynda gave us the opportunity we needed to heal wounds from the past and move forward into a new and exciting future."

R."I had doubts about counselling but after hitting a very low point in my life I felt I had nothing to lose by going. It was the best decision I made as it helped me to understand what I was going through and gave me the tools to get me back on my feet. I have never looked back."

Jodie."It is not a bad thing to realise you need to talk to someone. Counselling gave me a chance to talk to someone outside of my situation, a neutral person who can help me see different views to things. I have really benefitted from counselling and would definitely recommend it to others."

Nicholas."Counselling has turned my life around. I am a completely different person to who I was and its all down to the talks I have had at my counselling. I was scared at first but now I am glad I did it."

D.aged 9. "Coming to see a counsellor is really fun. It helps you to think about things. It helps you with life. It helps you with thoughts."