Counselling

My first experience of counselling was as an undergraduate in the University Counselling Service. I remember being in the calm of this counsellor’s presence and his room and being aware that I’d never in my life experienced an environment like this. I’d never had anyone who had really listened to me. Of course I’d had parent’s and friends before wanting to help and support, offering advice or telling me what I should do but no one had ever really listened to me and told me I was capable of working it out for myself. This man took me seriously and gave me his time, energy, space and support and it was just what I needed.

Like Carl Rogers, one of the founders of the Humanistic approach to psychology, I believe that it is in our nature, and indeed all of life's nature to grow to fulfil our potential. Each and every one of us can be motivated to be the best we can be. However sometimes this process become blocked or distorted by things that happen to us in our lives. Rogers describes therapy as a process of freeing a person and removing obstacles so that normal growth and development can proceed and the client can become independent and self-directed.

So first of all I offer you the space to work where you feel listened to, accepted and you feel the therapist is being genuine. Within this space there are a number of ways to work and part of the therapy is to find the way that suits you.