Counselling in Romsey, near Southampton
My private practice is close to Romsey's town centre, less than 5 mins walk from the train station and Waitrose. Many clients travel several miles to see me because they like Romsey! It's a lovely market town.
I have a Diploma in Humanistic/Gestalt Counselling and I'm a member of the BACP putting together my application for accreditation this year (2012).
If you're really not sure what counselling is about or whether this is for you, come along for a free half-hour introductory chat.
Daytime sessions - 90 minutes (evening sessions 1 hour)
Most counsellors offer sessions lasting 50 minutes or an hour. Private sessions with me in the daytime last 90 minutes, allowing time to explore your topic without feeling rushed. Due to high demand for evening sessions, they are one hour. The price is the same for daytime and evening appointments - £40. If you cannot afford this rate, please ask for a reduction.
My counselling experience
From January 2009 to March 2011 I worked as a volunteer counsellor in GPs' surgeries in Southampton. I started my private practice in June 2010. I have helped people with a wide variety of issues, including the following:
- Feeling devastated after partner has left
- Anxiety, depression and associated physical symptoms
- Distressed after a traumatic experience
- Life in turmoil after being a victim of crime
- Low self-esteem (my speciality, as I have also taught self-esteem classes)
- Angry outbursts causing problems for self and others
- Sense of not fitting in, feeling like an outsider
- Betrayals and affairs (yours or your partner's)
- Feeling emotionally all over the place and don't understand why
- Complications with online relationships
- Difficulty coming to terms with injury or illness
- Emotional and financial distress following loss of job or relationship
- Family relationships: secrets, old disputes, jealousies, etc.
I am also interested in helping anyone who feels they have been adversely affected by being sent to boarding school. Follow this link to a website on the subject.
How long does counselling last?
You should expect to be seeing me for a minimum of two months, because of the time it takes for your brain to process new ways of thinking. We normally aim for, say, six sessions at weekly intervals, with a review at session four. The majority of my clients see me for a total of 8-10 sessions. Some stay with me for six months and others for longer. Typically, for the first couple of sessions I just provide a supportive sanctuary, then once your feelings have stabilised we start some exploratory work to help you understand where those feelings originate and how you can change them.
What is counselling like?
You will see from the testimonials on my home page that you can expect to enjoy the safety of being with me and being valued by me. You should find it possible to talk about things you've felt unable to share with others. Maybe you haven't wanted to burden others, or it has felt too personal to share with friends or family. So initially you'll probably just offload while I listen.
For some clients, this is the time you have chosen (perhaps a significant birthday is approaching) to understand yourself better and make some changes. In which case we get started straight away on the work.
With all clients, I focus in on what you are telling me, and how you are telling me. I feed this back to you in a way that provides you with insight on what is really going on in your mind. As a Gestalt practitioner, I will suggest creative ways to help you get a new angle on things. If, for example, you talk of a 'heavy weight' getting you down, we might explore that heavy weight as a visual metaphor. If that's not your thing, I may suggest work with stones or small objects. Many clients find it useful to set out the people and issues of their life with objects on a table. I suggest different ways to move them around and test where it feels okay and where there is resistance. It works because you are no longer trying to work it all out in your head in an analytical way; you are using different areas of your brain to explore the problem.
It's very much a two-way process, relatively informal, and hopefully I'm sufficiently attuned to choose an activity that appeals to you. If you just want to explore with words, that's fine.
In the meantime, I will also observe what your body may be saying, but not in an uncomfortable way! I might say, for example, that while you were talking about a particular relative you were unconsciously fiddling with your ring or another piece of jewellery, and I wonder what the significance is. This kind of exploration is generally really interesting for you as well as me and can lead to important insights as you become more self-aware.
Confidential
At the start we agree terms of confidentiality according to counselling guidelines. We will both sign a counselling agreement.
My rates and place of business
Appointments are on weekdays, normally Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Daytime sessions are between 10.00 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. Evening sessions (not Fridays) are usually 6.30-7.30 p.m. or 8.00-9.00 p.m.
We meet at my house, which is comfortable and private. The first session includes an assessment - some questions and form-filling. Payment of £40 is due on the day. Normally I would see you weekly, or possibly fortnightly. If you are on a
low income, I can reduce the price by up to 50%.
As a member of BACP, I am bound by its Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and subject to the Professional Conduct Procedure.
To make an appointment or ask for more information, please contact me. If you like, I can give you a complimentary 45 min session to see if this is for you.
Page last updated 12 May 2012