Counselling and psychotherapy are types of talking therapy* in which you can explore your feelings, emotions, and thoughts in a non-judgemental, safe, and confidential environment. Counselling can offer you that space for a shorter period of time, whilst psychotherapy will most definitely take place over a longer period of time. The latter tends to focus on deep rooted difficulties and the impact of past experiences on who we are, which takes time to uncover and explore.

Healing, change, recovery - these are all things that you can achieve through talking therapies. Whilst your therapist may not be able to give you direct advice, they can support you in finding out what feels right for you, in a safe manner, at your pace. In counselling and psychotherapy, we can begin to observe ourselves through someone else's lens - a lens much clearer than ours. This can bring reassurance, and a huge sense of hope.

My aim is to work collaboratively with you, to identify what is a stressor for you and how we can enrich your wellbeing, given your unique life circumstances. My training allows me to provide both counselling and/or psychotherapy.

The type of counselling I offer is called "Person-Centred Therapy", which allows me to work from a caring and non-judgemental place. Briefly explained, this form of therapy is based on the belief that everyone is capable of growth if they are in the right environment.

I use an integrative approach in my work with clients, which means that I can also bring techniques from modalities I have trained in, to tailor our work for your unique experiences. On the way we may also incorporate techniques and exercises that focus on your strengths, self-care, values, and self-compassion.

During our first session we will use the space to find out what brings you to therapy. Depending on what is going on for you, we may identify together areas you wish to work on, which will be reviewed throughout our work together. Above all, I want you to be in control of your growth.

There are times we need to talk things through and sometimes a therapeutic space can be just what we need to overcome the difficulties we face, to feel heard, validated & share how we feel with someone who is able and willing to sit with us in that vulnerable space.

I work from a genuine and caring place, and often bring elements of psychoeducation. This process aims to help your understanding of all those bits of you that make you who you are. In my practice so far, this has been a key element to help my clients to make sense of their feelings and experiences. This allowed them to create a calmer and more enjoyable experience for themselves.

That being said, the counselling sessions are guided by what brings you to therapy and we will work together to explore what is happening for you at your pace.

Counselling sessions usually last 50 minutes each and may take place weekly or fortnightly. There is no obligation for you to continue our work if you feel I am not the right counsellor for you, or if you feel that you wish to take a break from self- exploration.

The number of sessions you will have depends on what you wish to explore. Some people find that a few sessions can provide them with enough insight to return to their daily life activities, with a different mindset. Others find it more difficult and need a bit more time to begin to trust their counsellor.

We often find it difficult to trust others, once we've experienced a loss (of a loved one, of our old selves, of something very dear to us). We also may find it difficult to let others in, once we experienced a traumatic event - this could seem insignificant to others, and yet it has tremendous implications on our wellbeing. We all experience sadness, loss, trauma, happiness, joy - everything - in our own way.

As your counsellor, I endeavour to be there for you, to provide a safe space where you can begin to build that trust and discover yourself. Whichever option resonates with you, feel free to contact me, to discuss your circumstances.

Sometimes, finding the right counsellor for you, a person who will "just get it", may take some time. Talking to a stranger may also feel intimidating (or even terrifying) at first. I want you to rest assured this is something I am very much aware of, having supported hundreds of clients in single sessions of therapy.

My aim is for you to feel comfortable to ask any questions about the process of therapy and express how you feel about your sessions or your progress. In my work so far, I noticed that once clients found a counsellor whom they feel comfortable to share their story with, this allowed them to feel safe in exploring their feelings.

You might feel that you're not even sure where to begin. Perhaps you are longing for a change and don't know how to go about it. My aim is to find all these answers with you - to enable you to look back to where you began this journey and think "I've come so far!".

If you feel that you are experiencing a mental health crisis where are concerned about your own safety or someone else's, please see Emergency Contact.

Counselling is a type of talking therapy that can support you when you are not in immediate danger to yourself or to/from others.

Each counselling session is confidential, between yourself and your counsellor. The only instance in which this confidentiality will be breached is if:

- Your safety or someone else's is at immediate risk;

- The safety of Children/Young Adults/ Vulnerable Adults is at risk, in accordance with Safeguarding Policies;

- Something mentioned in the sessions breaches The Terrorism Act (2006) or Drug Trafficking Act (1994)

In each of these instances your counsellor will try to discuss breaching confidentiality with you prior to this occurring.

I also keep regular notes of our sessions, to keep track of our work together. However, these will not have your contact details, or any identifiable information attached to them. They are also securely kept in accordance with GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) Act (2018). Counsellors sometimes use their notes for purposes of case work evaluation with their supervisor. This is to ensure your work with them is safe Again, these notes will not contain any identifiable information.

Online Video & Telephone Counselling Sessions can be booked between 8AM - 6PM on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday.

Face-to-face Counselling Sessions can only be booked between 8AM - 4PM on Friday and will take place at The Wellbeing Place, Manchester, M21 0AE. This location is accessible by public transport. Free parking is available nearby (2 hrs max.)

Please note, the above counselling space does not have disabled access as the counselling room is located on the 2nd Floor.