An experienced, accredited counsellor for individuals and couples, based in Cheltenham
A safe space to talk
Online therapy via Zoom
I have continued to provide individuals and couples with therapeutic help via Zoom since March 2020 and am convinced that these sessions are just as helpful and effective as face-to-face meetings. Indeed for many people it is more convenient to be able to access therapy in their own home - no need for travel, parking, babysitters etc. Please get in touch via my email or telephone number as detailed in the right-hand sidebar if you'd like to enquire about online therapy. Rest assured that if we decide to work together, I will send you precise details about how to access Zoom meetings, so that connecting to the session will be straightforward. I look forward to hearing from you.
I am an experienced, accredited counsellor working with both individuals and couples in Cheltenham, which is within easy reach of Gloucester, Stroud and Tewkesbury. I have helped individuals with a wide range of issues, including anger management, depression, bereavement, addiction, anxiety, low self-esteem and abuse, and in my couples counselling sessions I provide a safe space for people to talk through their difficulties.
Why you might be looking for individual or couples counselling
Most of us have times in our lives when things get on top of us, and we find it hard to cope. If you’re reading this, you may be at that point yourself, and thinking about having some counselling. You may have hit a rocky patch in your relationship and be looking for someone to help you and your partner sort things out, or you might be wondering whether you have a future together. Perhaps you've simply decided you'd like to find out a bit more about what makes you tick. Whatever your motivation, embarking on counselling is a big step to take, and it’s important for you to find a counsellor you feel comfortable with. Although we will explore your issues seriously, I'd like to reassure you that there can be some light-hearted moments in counselling sessions. I hope that looking at the pages that follow will give you an idea of what it might be like to work with me.
How I work
I really want to make you feel at ease, so that you can use our therapy sessions to talk about whatever you need to. This means I’ll be listening carefully to what you tell me, and gradually helping you to make sense of what you’re feeling. If we can understand ourselves better, we can find we have more choices about how to behave in our lives.
When I’m seeing two people together, I encourage them to speak freely and openly, as calmly and gently as possible. All couples disagree about things, and that need not matter, if we can disagree in a healthy way. It’s often helpful to think about how we express our reservations, the tone of voice and words we use, and to consider how we could best explain our point of view so that our partner can actually hear, and engage with, whatever we need them to know.
My training in mindfulness has made me much more conscious of the benefits of slowing down, talking a moment, pausing for breath and being present. This can help us to be a little less reactive and a little more aware of our behaviour and the impact we have on others. This doesn’t necessarily mean a serious meditation practice – there are all kinds of ways we can be more present as we go about our everyday lives, and these can be discussed in both individual and couples counselling sessions. Rather than worrying about the future, or dwelling on the past, which we have a tendency to do, we can notice what’s going on for us, and in the world around us, right here, right now.
How to contact me
If you would like to speak to me in person, please call 01242 519845 and leave me a message. Alternatively you could click here to email me. I try to respond to messages within 24 hours, and am usually able to arrange a counselling appointment within a few days of you contacting me.
**New blog post on how to cope with addiction when we also have depression**
Click here for my blog perspective, where I explore themes from the world of counselling and therapy that interest me, and that I hope might interest you. You can also find me on Twitter and Facebook, where I highlight useful articles and blogs that offer insight into all kinds of mental health issues.
