Counselling, Mindfulness Now, and Crisis Sessions
In-person counselling, mindfulness, and crisis sessions for women and
online counselling and mindfulness for all.
I provide a calm, non-judgemental, trauma-sensitive space that recognises your humanity and individuality.
Counselling
My therapeutic approach is integrative and holistic. This means I am sensitive and flexible - using person-centered/humanistic counseling, CBT, mindfulness , or a mixture of approaches according to your needs. This is discussed, explored and negotiated during your first session, and reviewed as regularly as necessary to keep our work together comfortable and meaningful for you.
Using the bio-psycho-social model of health in our work together, we will consider all the factors effecting you - physically, emotionally, socially - and spiritually - and in doing so, consider the whole of you - mind, body and spirit.
My therapeutic space is itself trauma-informed - a soft, human and mindful alternative to the harsh sterile environments, institutions and structures we often find ourselves in - particularly at times of personal difficulty.
I work with clients experiencing a range of circumstances, from issues with interpersonal relationships, home life and work, to sudden life-changing circumstances, shock, overwhelm, stress, anxiety and panic, agoraphobia, low self-esteem, insomnia, depression, and other concerns effecting mental-emotional-physical health and wellbeing.
I have attended extra CPD training with Dr Gabor Mate in his Compassionate Enquiry approach, in Emotion-Focussed counselling, working outside conventional diagnosis, grief and bereavement, OCD, Alzheimer’s/Dementia, diversity, equality and inclusion.
I am experienced in working alongside conventional mental health diagnoses, and equally comfortable in working purely with you and your individual experience.
Crisis Sessions
I understand that circumstances- whether built-up or sudden - can provoke strong physical and psychological responses leading to sudden anxiety and overwhelm. This can be frightening and destabilizing. This is why I offer 1.5/2 hr ‘crisis’ sessions - starting with a longer consultation in which you can express your current experiences and in which together we can decide on the best approach for your session- which may include some guided mindfulness together with aromatherapy, reflexology, massage - according to your needs and preferences on the day. These sessions aim to understand and dull the fight or flight response, reactivate the parasympathetic nervous system, helping to soothe, calm and ground. The aim is also to give you tools to use at home - including a recording of any guided mindfulness exercises used during the session, which can be listened to whenever you choose. This can help daily relaxation practice, and also potentially used at night if sleep is an issue. Because sometimes it can really help to simply remember how it feels to be relaxed.
These sessions can either be one-offs or a series – depending on your needs.
A kind note: Crisis sessions are intended for people experiencing an emotional shock/crisis/anxiety spike/overwhelm. these are not full, or in-depth counselling sessions and are not intended as an alternative where emergency medical or mental health intervention or support is needed.
Has your life experience left you with a negative perception - or even fear - of counselling?
Whilst some find conventional therapy settings reassuring, many find the institutional surroundings, systems and attitudes – even the reception and waiting areas, can trigger memories of previous difficult experiences – whether from school, work, the health, benefits or justice system, even in our own home and relationships - anywhere we felt unseen and disempowered. In counseling you need to feel seen and empowered, so as an alternative to the norm, I provide face-to-face Counseling, Mindfulness Support and Bodywork in a calm, gentle, confidential holistic therapeutic space that recognises your humanity and individuality. Whilst I am experienced in working alongside conventional mental health diagnoses, I am also comfortable working purely with you and your individual experience.I always work Holistically – so that in finding a therapeutic way forward together, we will consider the whole of you - Mind, Body and Spirit.
Do you think you might benefit from counseling but worry that you won’t be able to cope?
Fortunately, Counseling doesn’t have to involve dredging up past events or feelings – or going into upsetting levels of detail - unless this is something you actively want to work towards doing as part of your process; instead, focusing on the present and future can be an enlightening, effective and hopeful way of working. Counseling can also be blended with one-to-one Mindfulness teaching which can help support you during therapy sessions and teach you coping strategies to use at home throughout your therapeutic journey and beyond.
Mindfulness can help you learn to create your own calm space in which to re-centre, relax, reflect and re-connect with yourself.
Have you tried Mindfulness with apps or group courses at work or school but couldn’t get on with them?
Apps work well for some people - and also not so well for some people! There is a vast difference between an app that by it’s nature keeps you attached to your phone and everything on it – and a human, personal, one-to-one in-depth mindfulness guidance and practice. Similarly, group mindfulness sessions – especially at work or school - are dictated by their environment (an environment which may have stressful associations) and therefore by their nature can be difficult for some people and do not necessarily offer the opportunity to express and explore ourselves openly without fear of judgement, or in the same personal and therapeutic depth as in a one-to-one session allows. By contrast, I offer one-to-one Mindfulness teaching in a calm, gentle, safe environment;- a real face to face experience, sharing space and practice, therapeutic dialogue, communication and discussion with an actual human who is also an experienced counselor.
Don’t want to commit to a long period of weekly therapy sessions? You don’t have to.
I recognize that everyone’s needs are different and so I offer a flexible approach.
Some people need and want routine- a regular weekly counseling session for a set period of time – 8 weeks is the normal starting point – and that works for them. Other people want a longer break between sessions to allow more time for processing and self-care – or because they’re busy or don’t want therapy to be the central focus in their life (it doesn’t have to be that intense!) – and opt for fortnightly or even monthly sessions. Some people want occasional counseling as part of their self-care – with the flexibility to just book in as and when they want to. I recognize that everyone is different and so I offer a flexible approach. This means that you might start with a one-off session and decide that a regular slot might work better for you, or conversely you might start with regular scheduled appointments and then realise that it doesn’t work for you and that you’d rather just book in as and when you want to. And of course at any point you might decide to pause or stop therapy because that you’ve got what you wanted out of it for now, or to take a break for a while, or that it’s just not for you. It’s always your choice.
Because I know that leaving the house can be difficult during sudden or long-term times of distress - and that not everyone is comfortable with online video or phone counseling - I can also offer a local home visit option for this in certain circumstances. This service is offered to women- LGTBQ inclusive. Please contact me to discuss this.
Prices for Counselling, Mindfulness, Combined Sessions
Counselling 1 hr £50
A counseling session may include elements of CBT and/or Humanistic Counselling and/or mindfulness - according to your individual needs.
Counselling & Mindfulness combined 1.5 hr £65
A 1 hr counselling session followed by 30 mins mindfulness relaxation / grounding / meditation techniques. *More detailed information can be found on the mindfulness page.
Crisis Session 1.5 £65 / 2hrs £80
Session for people experiencing an emotional shock/crisis/anxiety spike/overwhelm.
Session may be either a combined counseling/CBT/mindfulness session OR an in-depth consultation regarding your issue which may include CBT techniques to help uncover the root causes. We will then use this information to help ascertain the best treatment, coping and management strategies which may include mindfulness, reflexology, aromatherapy, massage. Any guided mindfulness meditations/relaxations will be recorded so that you can use these at home to practice relaxation, grounding, meditation - these recordings can also be used at bedtime to aid sleep.You will then always have these skills - recordings to refer back to and use at any time in your life.
This may be a one-off session, or series of sessions according to your requirements.
Kind note: crisis sessions are not intended as an alternative where emergency medical or mental health intervention or support is needed.
Mindfulness Now Session 1.5 hrs £65 (£500 for full course if all sessions paid in advance
A mindfulness session forming part of the 8 - week course **More detailed information can be found the mindfulness pages
Mindfulness Session 1.5 hrs £65
An individual Mindfulness Session according to your needs and requirements. **More detailed information can be foundon the mindfulness pages
1.5 hr Mindfulness plus Reflexology session (with Aromatherapy) £65
A 30 min mindfulness session followed by an hour reflexology treatment.
****More detailed information can be found on the reflexology and mindfulness pages.