Counselling is a process where a qualified professional helps individuals explore and understand the challenges they are facing. The counsellor uses psychotherapy to offer insight into the client’s behaviours and emotions, helping them overcome difficulties. Sometimes, simply talking about the problem can provide relief, but in other cases, a more personalized approach may be necessary. The process builds a trusting relationship, which allows the client to gain self-awareness, initiate change, and reduce distressing thoughts and feelings.

Psychodynamic Counselling is grounded in the idea that much of our emotional life is unconscious. We are often unaware of the patterns in our thoughts, emotions, and how we perceive the world. These hidden conflicts, like unresolved anger or suppressed fears, can create inner turmoil. For example, anger towards others may turn inward as self-hatred, or fears that are ignored can manifest as anxiety in seemingly unrelated situations.

By developing a trusting relationship with a therapist, individuals can better understand these hidden patterns and gain insight into why they think and feel the way they do. Bringing these internal struggles into awareness allows them to make conscious choices, rather than feeling controlled by negative emotions. Ultimately, through this deeper understanding, positive change can occur.

How comfortable we feel in our own minds can fluctuate throughout our lives. There are times when we feel at peace with ourselves, the world, and our relationships. However, everyone goes through periods where our minds aren't so kind to us—times when we feel out of control and are overwhelmed by distress, whether that's in the form of anxiety, depression, low mood, or self-esteem struggles.

People seek therapy for many different reasons, but a common thread is the desire for change. They recognize that something needs to shift and that having a safe, supportive space to explore what that change might look like is a good starting point.

It depends. I would expect to work with my clients for at least six months, but most of my clients are long term and we will work together for a number of years. Genuine and lasting psychological change does not happen quickly. Our ways of thinking and emotional responses are the culmination of a lifetime of experience and therefore require time and space to identify and shift. For many people, simply having a place where they are carefully listened to without judgement is a very new experience.

My work is open-ended, meaning that I do not enforce any time limits on my clients, but instead work with them to identify when they have achieved what they want from therapy, and to bring their therapy to a close when the time feels right. I also offer a 12 week time-limited option which suits some people due to work, family or financial commitments which will have a more dynamic, directive feel.

In recent years, the terms "counselling" and "therapy" have often been used interchangeably. According to the NHS, counselling is a form of talking therapy where a trained therapist listens and helps individuals find ways to cope with emotional issues.

While the terms are commonly swapped, there are some distinctions. Counselling typically focuses on specific issues and tends to take place over a shorter period. Therapy, on the other hand, is often deeper, with treatment lasting longer. However, the lines are blurred—counselling can sometimes be referred to as therapy, and vice-versa. Additionally, counsellors may use therapeutic techniques, and therapists may incorporate counselling approaches.

Yes — what you share is treated with respect and confidentiality. There are a few rare exceptions where I have a legal or ethical duty to break confidentiality, which I’ll explain clearly in our first session.