Counselling

Short term and long term counselling for individuals

What is Counselling?

Counselling offers you the opportunity to talk in confidence to someone who is trained neither to judge nor advise you, but to explore and help you make sense of what you are feeling. Discussing difficult feelings can help you reduce the discomfort. It often helps to understand more about yourself, increasing your awareness of your life experiences. From this you may begin to feel less confused, make changes in your life, or come to terms with things that can’t be changed.

Who is Counselling for?

There are many reasons for seeking counselling. You may be feeling upset and distressed and have problems with your feelings, thoughts, behaviour or your relationships with others. You may have had a life crisis such as bereavement, relationship breakdown, illness or other loss. You may have anxiety, depression or work stress. You may feel that you lack direction and that life makes no sense.

What does the Counsellor do?

The Counsellor’s role is to provide you with a safe, confidential space to talk; to listen and respond with understanding, and empathy, to help you to find out why you feel as you do; to help you explore what choices there are for you, in order for you to feel more at peace with yourself and your life. The Counsellor does not give you advice, does not make decisions for you or make judgements about your situation.

What is expected of you, the Client?

Your role as a client is to come to your session accepting that you will be expressing feelings that may be difficult and painful but may be necessary if counselling is to help. The Counsellor is here to work with you to support you.

You will be offered an initial session for us to find out more about each other, and explore how best to approach your difficulties. By the end of this assessment, you will be able to decide whether counselling is the right step for you and whether we can and want to work together. You may decide there and then, or go away and think about it.

You will be seen weekly, on the same day and at the same time each week. Your session will last 50 minutes. We will contract for an initial 6 sessions, and then we will review and agree to further sessions by mutual consent.

Laura Featherstone Counsellor. Dip.couns. MBACP is member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP) who have a Code of Ethics and Practice for Counsellors. Copies are available on request.

Laura has trained to be a Counsellor for 4 years and obtained a Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling. Her theoretical approach is Person Centred, working with her relationship with you to support and help you. She has also completed a course in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, which can be integrated into the session and is particularly useful for short term, focused work. Laura’s counselling work is supervised by a qualified Counselling Supervisor in accordance with BACP guidelines.

Testimonials from clients who have worked with Laura:

‘Thank you for helping me move on from a very difficult period of my life.’ December 2010

‘You have helped me live again and feel again, so much more than just how helpful it has been and would I recommend counselling. I will miss the kindness and the support you have shown me.’ February 2011

‘I felt a 3 when I started counselling and now I feel an 8! It has improved my relationship with others, levels of anxiety and sad feelings.’ March 2011

Names withheld to protect patient confidentiality