Welcome to my website
I offer individual and couples counselling in Kingston upon Thames covering Twickenham, Teddington, Richmond, Surbiton and surrounding areas. I have worked as a counsellor and psychotherapist for over 30 years and have a range of experience working with people in private practice and in organisational settings. I am committed to providing a safe, professional, confidential and nonjudgemental environment. I am now offering face to face sessions once again alongside online sessions for those who prefer this.
For revised fee structure please see "Session Information".
Why seek Counselling / Psychotherapy?
Sometimes for all of us our thoughts and feelings about our lives and ourselves can become overwhelming. During the current climate of uncertainty we are all facing anxiety and trying to come to terms with a whole range of concerns to do with our health, our finances and fears about an uncertain future. Although it does help that we're all going through this together many people will find that previous symptoms and concerns can be triggered and amplified, relationships can come under greater strain and/or you may be reminded of unsettling, earlier experiences of difficult times in your life. You may feel low and pessimistic or experience sleep disturbance. You may find yourself under or over eating, drinking more than you'd like to, struggling to make and stick to a constructive daily routine or finding working from home easier than the prospect of returning to work. You may be experiencing new or familiar relationship difficulties or just feeling troubled inside in a way that is hard to understand or make sense of.
Talking therapies aim to enable people to express and work through painful experiences and facilitate an understanding of how and why they feel as they do. Importantly they aim to do so in a supportive and unjudgemental way. People can also be helped to develop greater awareness of the ways they may at times be unwittingly contributing to their life experience. This can lead to a greater sense of certainty and empowerment.
You may wish to speak to a counsellor/psychotherapist on your own or if your issues are impacting on your relationship you may decide that talking jointly with your partner to a couples counsellor could be more helpful. It may seem daunting to try couple counselling whether face-to-face or online but it can offer the best way forward. Face-to-face personal connection in individual or couple therapy has many advantages, but now that so many of us are used to using online platforms some people find that this can be a more convenient way to seek support and help. It has the advantage of being less time-consuming and some find it surprisingly easy to adjust to this way of having therapy.
I also see people together, usually pairs, who decide it would be helpful to have a safe space to talk about troubling issues that have arisen in their relationship either currently or in the past. These pairings can be siblings, members of the same family, parents and their adult children or close friends.
See Article "Principles of good relationships" at www.counselling-directory.org.uk/memberarticles/princuples-of-good-relationships
I'm experienced in helping clients with:
- Relationships
- Marriage Breakdown
- Separation/Divorce
- Anxiety/Stress
- Self-esteem/Confidence
- Bereavement/Loss
- Redundancy/Work related issues
- Depression
- Compulsive or Addictive behaviours
- Life transitions
- Troubling past/Early experiences
- Abuse
- Eating Disorders
- Post-traumatic stress trauma
- Serious illness/Health related issues
What benefits can be expected?
Evidence shows that therapy can be effective in helping people achieve greater psychological resilience, a sense of greater personal empowerment and an improved quality of life. The process of sharing unsettling thoughts and feelings and being helped untangle them can be surprisingly powerful. The impact of symptoms can be significantly lessened or even disappear when their underlying cause is explored and understood.
The first session
I recognise arranging to see a therapist can be daunting and it is important to feel comfortable with the therapist you choose to see. Our first meeting offers the chance for us to explore your concerns and decide whether or not we would like to work together. Alternatively you are welcome to have a telephone conversation with me first if this would feel more comfortable.
My practice is based in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey within easy reach of Surbiton, Twickenham, Teddington, Richmond, Ham, Hampton, New Maldon and the KT2 postcode.
For further practical details on both individual and couples therapy please see Couples Counselling and Session/Practical information pages
