- Individual Counselling
- Couples Counselling
- Supervision
- Family Work
- Spiritual Crisis/Uncertainty
Why
Try Counselling?
Living our lives can become a real challenge sometimes.
Making sense of how we feel about ourselves and others can, at
times of
difficulty, seem overwhelming.
Counselling
offers an opportunity
to try and unravel those feelings and
look at areas of your life where making changes might also make a
difference.
I
offer support to people
struggling with a wide range of problems
including: Depression, Anxiety, Doubt, Loss, Relationships,
Bereavement, Sexuality, Employment, Self-esteem, Phobias,
Trauma,
Bullying, feelings of Unease, or other emotional and mental
health
issues such as Self-harm, Eating Problems, Physical and/or
Emotional
Abuse, Drug use, etc.
My
counselling approach comes
from a position of openness, respect and non-judgmental
understanding.
Life
is about being in
relationship – with ourselves, others, and the
wider world – and how we manage those relationships seems to
have a direct bearing on our overall sense of
well-being. I offer
support in looking carefully at what is happening in your
life,
providing space to reflect on whether you’re moving in a
direction that
truly feels right for you.
Mind
and Body are, of course,
inextricably linked and influence each
other profoundly. I therefore work with people
holistically. I also recognise a broad ‘spiritual’
perspective in working with those for whom this word carries
relevance
or meaning at a personal level.
My
Counselling Approach
There
is a growing body of
evidence-based research to indicate that the
particular type or method of therapy used in counselling is not the
most relevant factor when looking at positive outcomes. The
most effective element is, in fact, the quality of the relationship
between therapist and client. I believe this research is
highly significant and far-reaching and it deeply informs the way I
work.
Therefore,
though I trained as a Person-Centred/Humanistic therapist I
increasingly find myself moving beyond these definitions to offer what
seems most appropriate for each client, as a way of developing the most
meaningful relationship possible. The ultimate aim is for
each individual to feel free enough to express who they are and also to
explore who they might become.
Training
and Experience
I
trained with the Oasis School of Human Relations gaining an Advanced
Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling. I have many years of
clinical counselling experience, including working with Leeds Mind,
Leeds Social Services, and the CHOICE Counselling Service.
In
addition I worked for 17 years in both public and voluntary mental
health services in Leeds, giving me particular insight into and a deep
understanding of the whole range of psychological and emotional issues
faced by people from all walks of life.
For
most of my life I have been fascinated by theories and teachings
that endeavour to shine a light on the complexities of the human
condition. I have particularly devoted many years to a
personal study of Psychology, Consciousness, Philosophy, and many
different wisdom teachings including Advaita Vedanta (Non-Duality), Zen
Buddhism, Taoism, Sufism and Christian Mysticism.
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