If you are considering counselling for the first time and haven't been through it before then it can sometimes seem scary and take a lot of courage to pick up the phone to ask for support. You feel anxious and ask yourself questions like, 'Am I really "that bad", I don't need counselling' or you convince yourself 'there's always someone worse off or needing the help more than you'. I'm here to put your mind at ease and to tell you that all these feelings are completely normal. However, don't minimise your need for support based on others experiences ... you matter ...

The first thing I would like to tell you is that the only expert in the room during your counselling sessions is you. I will bring my own expertise, knowledge and skills to the sessions but you will too, after all, who knows you better than you? I like to describe Counselling as a journey, one we will go on together but I am not here to 'fix' you and will not analyse you or give you advice.

So what exactly is counselling?

Counselling is considered to be a talking therapy, the 'term can mean different things to different people, but in general it is a process people seek when they want to change something in their lives or simply explore their thoughts and feelings in more depth.

A counsellor is not there to sit you down and tell you what to do - instead they will encourage you to talk about what's bothering you in order to uncover any root causes and identify your specific ways of thinking. The counsellor may then look to create a plan of action to either help you reconcile your issues or help you to find ways of coping'.

Counselling does not come in a cookie-cutter format and each session is generally tailored to the individual.

When you attend counselling with myself we would meet for one hour per week, I offer a warm, comfortable and homely environment to help you feel as relaxed as possible. It is important that you are aware that this is your hour to use whichever way you feel suitable and there will be complete flexibility. There may even be things that you will discuss that you had never planned to talk about and might be deep rooted issues. As I have said previously we will go on this journey together and I will offer genuine understanding and acceptance and you will never be judged. The process of our work may be challenging but it will also be ... powerful, you will become more self-aware and more empowered when you finish.