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"

What is the difference between counselling and psychotherapy?

There is no universally accepted difference between counselling and psychotherapy or whether they constitute the same or different therapies. Most therapists will use a number of different styles and modalities according to their own style and practice and reflecting the needs of the client. It is sometimes said that psychotherapists are more directive in their approach and treat clients with more difficult and longer term problems. In my experience counsellors treat exactly the same problems and whether or not they take a more directive approach will depend on their modality and style of counselling. Therefore it is an issue always in debate but rarely agreed upon.